Monday morning found Skeena MLA Ellis Ross taking to a familiar theme for the legislature in recent weeks, with the Northwest MLA returning to the LNG file for comments to the Chamber at the weeks opening session.
The current of his conversation was to highlight how the previous Liberal governments of the last dozen years had returned the prospect of LNG development to the province and stressed the promise that it holds for the future for British Columbians and in particular the change it could bring to First Nations.
The previous government changed the conversation on energy in this province in 2012, and we're all better for it. We understand the incredible benefits projects like LNG will bring to all British Columbians and to First Nations in particular. We believe that the status quo as it relates to First Nations must be changed, and it is being changed as we speak, especially when they have been included at the table for the better part of the last 15 years.
Any opponents to this motion are saying to First Nations: "You have to live with the unemployment, and you have to live with your poverty." I have never stood with these people and never will, because First Nations finally have an answer to crippling dependence. The Indian Act suffocates First Nations when it comes to poverty reduction. It leaves no path forward. If there is any slip-up whatsoever, Ottawa comes in to take over the remedial management, third-party management or their freeze lists. This is something I've seen happen, and it's been a reality for years, if not decades.
Instead, the way forward is partnerships with government and industry enabled by constitutional case law, like the nearly 500 agreements that the past government, the last B.C. government, signed with First Nations, inclusive of a number of resource areas, many of which made LNG possible today.
Towards the impact that LNG could have on the Northwest, Mr. Ross also noted that the path the region is on today it was kind of development that residents in Skeena had been looking for,
As part of some follow up notes on Monday morning, Mr. Ross also addressed some environmental themes, observing that threats to the marine environment need to be considered on a larger scale than just the energy sector issues that currently are the focus for federal and provincial officials.
As former chief councillor of the Haisla Nation council, I know how important shipping is to B.C. and to, particularly, First Nations. But you can't isolate energy exports when we're talking about the safety of B.C.'s coasts, when we're talking about all types of vessels that carry different types of fuels that actually could put our coast at danger. I'm talking about gillnetters. I'm talking about seine boats. I'm talking about tugboats. I'm talking about ferries that all go down and could put the ecosystem in danger. I'm also talking about B.C. Ferries. It's not right that we talk about energy exports and just isolate them in their own little world, when the shipping industry is actually well aware of all the issues related to the B.C. coast.
In fact, for the last 15 years, that's all First Nations have been doing is participating in environmental assessments at the federal level, dealing with consultations, dealing with the process that the federal government comes out with. The consensus along the coast was that spill protection was a need. It had to be enhanced, not just for energy exports. It had to be done for all of the people that use the west coast. There are many of them, many of which haven't even been looked at in the light that it's now being looked under — specifically, U.S. vessels carrying oil and diesel right through our Inside Passage to and from Alaska. So it's a good thing that safety is now a priority.
But it's always been a priority for First Nations in the world of environmental assessments and permitting. This is why I say, and I'll keep saying it, that when you support the energy export industry, you support B.C. First Nations, because First Nations have done so much to higher the level of protection when we're talking about B.C.'s coasts, whether you're talking about exports or not.
Wrapping up his presentation of Monday morning, the Skeena MLA touched on some of the opposition to LNG development, noting that a portion of it comes from outside the country and from those with their own agendas.
He also noted that in order for British Columbia to take advantage of this moment, that the province needs to move quickly and show determination to develop an industry.
This tremendous export opportunity with a head start in LNG, in particular, is fleeting, and we will need to fight for it if we want it to take hold. The energy export economy of B.C.'s future will be as robust as it will be sustainable, and it will bring prosperity to all British Columbians and B.C. First Nations alike. But we've got to want it, and we've got to fight for it.
The full review of his commentary of Monday morning can be found from the Legislature minutes here.
To view the proceedings of the House and the Skeena MLA's presentation click on this link to the Chamber proceedings, Mr. Ross's comments begin shortly after the House begins work for the day.
For more items of note on the Legislature see our archive page here.
To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.
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