First Nations in oilsands region support bill to overhaul energy project approvals

A coalition of First Nations in the Fort McMurrayregion say they'reinsupport of the federal government's overhaul of energy project reviews, despite loud opposition in Alberta to Bill C-69.

"Look at the mess we are in now," Allan Adam, chief of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, said Tuesday.

"I am in favour of Bill C-69. And I am going to continue to lobby that the federal government impose it."

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and three other groupsChipewyan Prairie DeneFirst Nation, Fort McKayFirst Nation and MikisewCree First Nation are members of a coalition called the Athabasca Region First Nations.

The coalition says it's disappointed that theAlberta government is voicing opposition to the legislation. In a recent news statement, the coalition also says Bill C-69 "includes important measures that enable Indigenous people to more fully participate in resource management decisions."

• Alberta minister Shannon Phillips says Bill C-69 inadequate in current form
• Albertans rally against 'problematic' Bill C-69

Bill C-69,currently before the Senate,reboots federal environmental review legislation. It streamlinesa patchwork of regulatory bodies,offers broader impact assessments thatconsider health andsocio-economic factors and prioritizes early engagement with Indigenous people.

But opponents have described the proposed legislation as"the nail in the coffin of resource sector investment."

Alberta's NDPgovernment has also taken a hard line on the bill,in the wake of a federal court ruling haltingconstruction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion andwith a provincial election coming in the spring of 2019.

Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips lobbied senators in October to amend the bill to clarify thelength of time reviews should take and exempt in-situ oilsandsprojects fromfederal assessments.

In-situ oilsandsprojects use high-pressure steam or chemical solvents to release bitumen from underground and pipe it to the surface without resorting to mining.

Better assessmentsneeded

The coalition of Athabasca region First Nations slammed the Alberta government for opting for a watered down approachto oilsandsenvironmental assessments.The coalition argues thatin-situ projects should be held to the same standard as open-pit mines.

The coalition hassaid it expects 80 per cent of futureoilsandsgrowth will come from in-situ sites.

And although these projects have the perception of being environmentally better, the MikisewCree's industry relations manager, Dan Stuckless, saidthey still need to be treated in the same way as other energy projects.

"There are still concerns about wildlife in the face of being adjacent to an in-situ development," Stuckless said. "Even though the forests might still be intact, some species respond differently to noise and the presence of humans."

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Stucklesssaid as more First Nations, including the MikisewCree, take ownership stakes in oilsandsand pipeline projects,bands are pushing to see energy resourcessustainablymanaged.

"Coming out for or against Bill C-69 seems to suggest that you are for or against industry," Stuckless said. "And I don't thinkthat that is the message from this region.

"I think what you are seeing from this region is that there's a level of support forresponsible development."

The coalition membersintend to appear before the Senate committee that's reviewing the bill to make their concerns heard.

Connect with David Thurton, CBC'sFort McMurraycorrespondent, onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedInor email him atdavid.thurton@cbc.ca