TransCanada quietly wooing First Nations leaders ahead of Energy East project – Montreal Gazette
July 30, 2015
TransCanada has quietly been meeting with First Nations leaders ahead of its Energy East pipeline project, signing 32 “capacity funding agreements” with aboriginal communities in the past two years.
Through these agreements, the energy firm donates money to a reserve and, in return, gets to pitch its $12 billion pipeline to community members.
TransCanada is heavily invested in these deals but insists none of its contributions to First Nations are meant to entice support for Energy East. However, Kanesatake Grand Chief Serge Simon says that accepting said money comes with stipulations he isn’t prepared to honour.
Simon met with representatives from the firm last summer when they discussed the possibility of signing a capacity funding agreement. Since the 4,600 kilometre pipeline is slated to pass through Kanesatake, it’s vital for TransCanada not to encounter active resistance in the Mohawk territory.
