Premier David Eby said midday on Monday (Nov. 24) that he had spoken to Prime Minister Mark Carney about a memorandum of understanding being negotiated between Alberta and the federal government relating to a northern B.C. oil pipeline.
“He has outlined to me that the agreement with Alberta is not finalized yet,” Eby said. “And I took the opportunity of our conversation to outline British Columbia’s perspective.”
Shortly after Eby’s comments, CBC News reported that the outline of a deal with Alberta has been agreed to, and that it will become official on Thursday.
A pipeline would require the lifting of a ban on heavy oil tankers docking on B.C.’s north coast. Area First Nations oppose rescinding this ban or introducing exemptions.
Eby said he told Carney his three main concerns: That he thinks First Nations need to have a say in a pipeline impacting their traditional territory, that any massive multi-billion-dollar subsidy for a project that benefits Alberta ought to be matched by a similar subsidy for a B.C. project, and that the dangers of transporting oil through north coast water must be accounted for.
“At a minimum, coastal First Nations and British Columbia need to be at the table for these conversations about our province,” Eby said.
There is also no project proposal or proponent, something Eby has pointed out regularly for several months as talk of a new pipeline has heated up.
Eby said Carney listened carefully to his concerns, but made “no commitments.”
“I understand the need for the prime minister to engage with governors across the country,” Eby said. “I’ll reserve my judgment about the content of the agreement until I see it.”