Enbridge pipeline plan doesn’t benefit First Nations

Re: Enbridge’s proposed pipeline from Edmonton to Kitimat.

The last flyer from Enbridge sure got my attention. Nothing else but pictures of Enbridge’s representatives at every native event, handing out little cheques for all kinds of good causes. They even squeezed themselves in a snapshot with Phil Fontaine. It looked as if the major purpose of this company’s existence was to further native causes. What are they up to?

With Bush’s man Harper in Ottawa, the only obstacle to this scheme would be native opposition. The plan is for two pipelines from Edmonton to Kitimat, one line pumping almost a million barrels of oil to Kitimat and other, concentrates from Kitimat to Edmonton, with unmanned pumping stations along the way. From Kitimat oil will go by tanker to the U.S. This would be a pipe thousands of miles long, across some of the roughest terrain on this continent.$4 a barrel. How would a leak be detected in time, especially in winter when snow and ice covers land and water?

That could mean the end of our salmon and other fish stocks. All to make a few people rich.

Compared to our history and the salmon, this company is a fly-by-night operation, running on non-renewable resources. Here today and gone tomorrow, with the pipe left in the ground to rust. Those salmon fed our people for thousands of years and ensured our very survival. If they are protected, it will go on indefinitely.

To dig a scar through this land a thousand miles long, pump a million barrels of Canadian oil a day to another country, endangering some of the major salmon rivers on this planet, and call this progress is lunacy.

There is no benefit in this for our children and grandchildren.

We cannot roll over every time. All our elders are against this. Let’s not let them down.

Remember what Alcan did. If the Americans want this oil so badly, then build the line across the Alberta/U.S. border and leave B.C. out of it.

My dad used to say: “Years ago they sent the Indian agent and the RCMP to make us see their way (Alcan). Now they wine and dine some of us and order Kentucky Fried Chicken.”

Let’s stand up for what is right this time and say ‘no’ to this company.

Richard Duncan

Prince George