Opinion: How pipelines went from villain to hero in Indigenous reconciliation – Calgary Herald
Oct 17, 2022
Last month, Enbridge announced it would be selling a 12 per cent stake in a group of seven pipelines in northern Alberta worth $1.12 billion to 23 First Nation and Métis communities. The deal represents just the latest in an underappreciated movement in Canadian politics and business: equity ownership in major energy infrastructure that is reshaping Indigenous-industry relations. How did pipelines become the leading edge of economic reconciliation?
When the Canadian Supreme Court recognized the “duty to consult” in 2004, it was a watershed moment for Indigenous rights. But it absolutely complicated the process by which major resource projects could be approved.
This affected pipelines more than any other type of project. Because they are linear, they might cross the territories of dozens of Indigenous nations, all of whom are required to be consulted and accommodated. A mine, by contrast, might only impact two or three Indigenous communities. This creates a huge vulnerability. A single, dissenting First Nation can put a linear project at risk even if dozens of others support it.
