Lheidli T’enneh Ends Negotiations With Enbridge – Warns Indigenous Neighbours

LHEIDLI T'ENNEH TERRITORY, British Columbia, March 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Lheidli T’enneh announced today they have ended negotiations which commenced last Fall, at Enbridge’s request, to potentially settle their lawsuit against Enbridge. The Lheidli T’enneh say Enbridge has learned virtually nothing in the aftermath of the massive explosion erupting from one of its natural gas pipelines near Prince George on October 9, 2018. The explosion ignited a massive fireball causing severe damage to approximately 5.2 hectares of land and destroyed a substantial section of the 36-inch gas pipeline.

Dayi Clay Pountney said: “The Enbridge brand has become synonymous with danger and mishap in our community. Enbridge says it is committed to safety and world class standards, but we learned post explosion and during the negotiations that these are empty promises. We experienced pandemonium on the day of the explosion in our backyard. There was nothing first class or world class about the emergency response carried out by Enbridge from our vantage point. It was sub-par, and that is a generous characterization. We want to warn our Indigenous neighbours to be wary of doing business with Enbridge. In our experience Enbridge is not to be trusted.”

The lawyer acting for the Lheidli T’enneh in the lawsuit against Enbridge is Malcolm Macpherson, a partner with Clark Wilson LLP in Vancouver. Macpherson added: “Enbridge’s operations are squarely in the unceded territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, who never gave up their sovereignty or lands through treaty or war. Further, Enbridge appears to forget that approximately a year ago the BC Government adopted into law the principles outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or UNDRIP as it is known. Likewise, in December of 2020, the Federal Liberal government introduced similar legislation that will begin the process of bringing Canadian law into alignment with UNDRIP. Should Enbridge ever aspire to build and operate new pipelines and assets through B.C., they will have to rebuild from their present trust deficit. Enbridge’s competence and ability to safely transport and deliver hydrocarbons is questioned by many B.C. First Nation communities, and especially so in Coastal BC. The pertinent questions for Enbridge to reflect upon, from Lheidli T’enneh’s perspective are: does Enbridge value its brand in BC? Is it prepared to do the right thing following the explosion, or fated to repeat prior Indigenous engagement mistakes in B.C.?”