Energy East: Groups ask Trudeau Government to Suspend Pipeline Review and Launch Investigation into the NEB

Press Release

August 16, 2016

Montreal- 36 groups from across Canada today sent a letter to federal Natural Resources minister Jim Carr urging him to suspend the Energy East pipeline review and investigate the National Energy Board’s (NEB) conflict of interest involving former premier Jean Charest. Mr. Charest was under contract with TransCanada, the pipeline company seeking to develop Energy East, and was not a registered lobbyist when he met with the chairman of the NEB, Patrick Watson, and two of its commissioners.

“The government of Prime Minister Trudeau has acknowledged that the National Energy Board needs to be revamped for its decisions to be trusted as fair and impartial, so his government must respond to this latest blow to its credibility,” said Keith Stewart, head of Greenpeace Canada’s climate and energy campaign. “Minister Carr must investigate why Mr. Charest, who was known publicly as being under contract with TransCanada, was meeting privately with NEB officials to discuss the Energy East pipeline in apparent contravention of the NEB’s own rules.”

“Opposition to Energy East is strong and growing, especially in Quebec, where Mr. Charest was Premier for nine years”, noted Anne-Céline Guyon from the Stop oléoduc movement coordinator. “More than half the population of Quebec and 300 Quebec municipalities, including the Montreal Metropolitan Community, representing 3.8 million residents, are opposed to Energy East along with the Assembly of First Nations in Quebec, Labrador”, she added.

“Despite numerous promises and warranties given by the federal government, the National Energy Board is still being eroded by the industry,” said André Bélisle from the Association Québécoise de Lutte contre la Pollution Atmosphérique (AQLPA). “ The time has come for the government, including Jim Carr, as the minister responsible for the NEB, to take responsibility and show leadership by suspending the Energy East pipeline review.”

In the letter, groups ask:

Why did the NEB wait until emails and notes of the meeting were obtained through the Access to Information Act…before issuing an apology and confirming the Energy East pipeline project had indeed been discussed at the meeting with Mr. Charest? Irrespective of the specific circumstances, which need to be clarified, the fact the meeting took place raises serious questions about whether the integrity of the Energy East project review process has been damaged, while giving the impression the commissioners are not impartial in their work.”

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Keith Stewart,
Head of Greenpeace Canada’s climate and energy campaign
416 659 0294

André Bélisle,
President of the Association québécoise de lutte à la pollution atmosphérique (AQLPA)
418 390 2367

IBF5