Haisla Nation blocks Smith’s hopes for West Coast pipeline

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s hopes for a West Coast oil pipeline may have just hit a roadblock after the Haisla Nation and the District of Kitimat made it “clear” that they oppose the project.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s hopes for a West Coast oil pipeline may have just hit a roadblock after the Haisla Nation and the District of Kitimat made it “clear” that they oppose the project.

This opposition comes despite Smith’s continued suggestion that a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney is imminent.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, the local First Nation and municipal government said the meeting with Smith was an opportunity to discuss sustainable development, but they reiterated that any bitumen export project through their territory remains unacceptable.

“Over a decade ago, the community of Kitimat voted to oppose the Northern Gateway project. The Haisla Nation, who were firmly against that proposal at that time, still maintain that same position today regarding an oil pipeline and export facility in their territory,” the press release reads. “This position was articulated clearly to Premier Smith during the meeting.”

Wednesday’s announcement, suggesting no pipeline is forthcoming, surfaced despite Smith allegedly reaching a deal with Carney the day before. That deal would have given Alberta special exemptions from federal environmental laws and support to build a pipeline to the West Coast.

The renewed push has escalated political tension in recent weeks, as British Columbia Premier David Eby and multiple First Nations leaders have repeatedly rejected Alberta’s proposal. Eby has publicly argued that the project “doesn’t exist,” pointing to the lack of a private proponent and the long-standing federal tanker ban on the northern coast.

However, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre argued in the House of Commons on Wednesday that Eby had no power and that Carney was the ultimate decision-maker.

“The good news is that David Eby, the premier of B.C., has absolutely no constitutional authority to block a pipeline,” said Poilievre. “The bad news is that this prime minister does, under section 92(10)(a)... Will the Prime Minister stop hiding behind the powerless premier?”

Under section 92(10)(a) of the Constitution Act, 1867, provincial legislatures have jurisdiction over local works except those listed in the section, including “Lines of Steam or other Ships, Railways, Canals, Telegraphs, and other Works and Undertakings connecting the Province with any other… or extending beyond the Limits of the Province.”

Poilievre noted that Carney had asked Canadians to give him emergency legal powers through Bill C-5 to help him overturn any regulations to get projects done.

“In other words, this government has the exclusive power; he has the exclusive legal authority. Will he match that authority with responsibility and approve a pipeline to the Pacific today?”

The Haisla and Kitimat statement, however, underscores the most direct obstacle to Smith’s ambitions: the host communities themselves. While welcoming partnership on projects aligned with their values, they stressed that future development must reflect their long-standing position on crude exports.