NAFTA TALKS AT CRITICAL POINT Page 4
Saturday, September 1, 2018 | Your community newspaper since 1916
CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN
Smooth operators More concrete was poured on Friday for the construction of a parkade which is part of the condo development project across from city hall.
Most evacuees have headed for home
Pipeline expansion could be delayed for years: experts Laura KANE Citizen news service VANCOUVER — The Federal Court of Appeal’s decision to quash Ottawa’s approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is likely to delay the project for years, legal and political observers say. The ruling means the National Energy Board must consider the impacts of increased tanker traffic on the marine environment and the federal government must consult more meaningfully with First Nations. The energy board should first conduct its new review, which will involve receiving written submissions, consulting with Indigenous groups and holding hearings, said Chris Tollefson, a law professor at the University of Victoria. The board’s first review took two years, and while the new assessment will be focused specifically on tanker traffic, Tollefson said
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the board must seriously consider the effects on endangered southern resident killer whales. “The reality is that this proposal as currently planned would impact orcas unless it is changed,” said Tollefson, who represented BC Nature and Nature Canada during the first energy board review. There are only 75 southern resident orcas left and few have reproductive potential. The project would have a serious impact unless design changes were made, such as altering shipping routes, reducing tanker speeds or the number of vessels, Tollefson said. “In light of what the court had to say, I don’t think that should be hurried. I think it needs to be done right. It’s a central feature of this project.” Once the board issues a new recommendation to cabinet, the federal government will have to redo its final phase of consultation with all the affected First Nations
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Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca
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Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau addresses the media in Toronto on Thursday as he talks about the government’s Trans Mountain pipeline plan. along the pipeline route. that if Ottawa tries to rush consulEugene Kung, a lawyer who has tation, the project could just wind worked for project opponent the up back before the court. Tsleil-Waututh Nation, warned — see ‘WE’RE GOING, page 2
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The majority of the summer’s forest fire evacuees are now headed home from their temporary lodgings in Prince George. “The number of wildfire evacuees in Prince George has peaked at just over 3,000 and the majority have now returned home,” said City of Prince George spokesman Mike Kellett. “In fact, records at the Prince George Emergency Reception Centre indicate that nearly two-thirds of evacuees have returned home as wildfire conditions improve.” As a consequence of the improving conditions on the fire lines, and the ability of evacuees to return to their communities no longer under threat, the City has been able to cut back the hours of operation at the Emergency Reception Centre. — see SMOKE, page 2
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