Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Line to face court challenge

Members of the Luutkudziiwus Territory
of the Gitsxan Nation have launched
a court challenge over the Prince Rupert
Gas Transmission project

There's a new challenge ahead for the Pacific NorthWest LNG project in Port Edward as opposing views within the Gitxsan First Nation will soon spill over into the courts, with a splinter group of the First Nation in the Hazleton's area about make a court challenge when it comes to the proposed TransCanada pipeline that will transit the gas across their territory to the Lelu Island plant.

With the LNGinBC conference in Vancouver as the backdrop, the Luutkudziiwus, a member of the Gitxsan nation presented the background to their legal challenge against the pipeline project, saying that TransCanada does not have approval to cross the 34 kilometres of their traditional territory, adding that the project was approved without proper and necessary consultation with their Nation.

“We are taking the government to court over the lack of consultation, inadequate baseline information presented, a weak and subjective impact assessment, and the current cumulative effects from past development. People from all over northern BC are now outraged about the $40 billion Petronas LNG project. It is unbelievable that they claim they consulted with us,”  -- Luutkudziiwus spokesperson Richard Wright, on the nature of their legal challenge against the Pacific NorthWest LNG project

The group launching the court challenge is itself at odds within its own First Nation, a rift that has seen the Luutkudziiwus House Group block access to its territory along the pipeline's right of way, a protest that has been taking place for over a year now.

The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Line would
cross a portion of the Luutkudziiwus Territory
of the Gitsxan Nation

Some of background on their  to the project can be reviewed through the website Raven Trust, which featured the opposition to the Petronas project with this webpage, the basis of their legal challenge was also published in the publication Intercontinental Cry

“Our Madii Lii territory is not to be played with by the province of BC in their LNG game. Clark’s LNG dream is a nightmare for us. While she tries to maintain a shiny picture of LNG in their conference this week, the reality is that First Nations are being bulldozed, and we have had enough,” -- Hereditary Chief Luutkudziiwus (Charlie Wright) on the opposition to pipeline development.

The main spokesman for the Luutkudziiwus is Richard Wright, while media coordination for the group is being handled by Greg Horne who is also member of the Skeena Watershed Coalition.

That group has been a vocal opponent of LNG development in British Columbia, with its position found both through its website and social media offerings

Some of the media reports related to the court challenge can be reviewed below

Times Colonist -- Prince Rupert's Pacific LNG project faces new challenge
News 1130 -- First Nations group preparing legal challenge to LNG project in Prince Rupert
CKWX -- First Nations Group in Northern BC cries foul over lack of consultation on LNG pipeline through their territory
Globe and Mail -- B. C. LNG industry ready to take 'final steps': Finance Minister

For more items related to the Pacific NorthWest LNG project see our archive page here.