A Northern MP is challenging the independence of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project Joint Review Panel, following statements by federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver.
Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen said statements by Oliver at meetings with oil industry leaders in Kananaskis, Alta. last week showed clear government support for the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.
Oliver was in Kananaskis meeting with his provincial counterparts and energy sector leaders to discuss national energy strategy.
Oliver allegedly told oil company executives that he is supportive of the Northern Gateway Pipeline because it would open new export markets for Canadian oil.
"It's put truth to the lie that this is now an independent process. The minister has screwed things up by presupposing how they [the Joint Review Panel] should rule," Cullen said. "Other than a full retraction... I don't know how he can correct this."
Cullen said the proposed oil pipeline and tanker terminal in Kitimat is a major concern for his constituents.
"I just spent 12 days on the coast... it's one of their chief concerns," Cullen said. "They simply don't trust the promises of an oil company."
Oliver was not available for comment on the issue as of press time.
REVIEW HIGHLY RIGOROUS: ENBRIDGE
Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline communication manager Paul Stanway said the company is committed to completing the Joint Review Panel process, which is, "probably one of the most rigorous processes in the world."
Enbridge is expecting to spend $200 million on the project during the approval process, he said. Of that 90 per cent or more has been on engineering studies and technical work to provide a clear picture of the project to the Joint Review Panel.
"Most of the engineering work is done. Most of the planning work is done. From here on out it's the regulatory process.," Stanway said. "We expect to start getting information requests by the end of the month. Some of that is likely to be quite detailed."
July 15 was the deadline for First Nations, environmental agencies and other organizations to register as interveners in the federal Joint Review Panel of the project. Now registered interveners will begin filing information requests to Enbridge about the proposed pipeline.
Enbridge will then be required to respond - possibly conducting additional engineering or surveying work to answer the questions, Stanway said.
Also part of the process leading up to the Joint Review Panel has been "exhaustive public consultation," he said.
P.G. AND WEST MOST CHALLENGING AREA
The biggest challenge on the public relations side has been Prince George and west to Kitimat, Stanway said.
"Within Alberta there is a higher level of comfort with the industry and pipelines. Even east of Prince George - Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge - there is a greater deal of comfort with the industry," Stanway said.
"In this part of the world people put a lot of stock in meeting people face to face. We're working very hard to try to explain to people, particularly west of Prince George, the benefits of this project."
The global economy is changing and the Canadian energy sector, much like the lumber sector, is looking to Asia as a major new market, he said.
"Will we be able to rely on the U.S. as much as we have in the past? I don't think so," he said. "[But] it's a massive project. At the end of the day, not everybody will be comfortable with a building a pipeline."
However, part of that discomfort may be as a result of biased media about the project, he said. The August edition of National Geographic features the Great Bear Rainforest and the "Pipeline through Paradise."
"I have no issue with what they wrote," Stanway said. "What I have an issue with is what they didn't write. I think we gave them a lot of information that would have allowed them to publish a balanced story."
