Oil Refinery being proposed near Prince Rupert

A first nations group is behind a proposal to build an oil refinery at the Grassy Point area near Prince Rupert.

Grassy Point is also the proposed location for a 3rd Rupert based LNG terminal.

westcoastnativenews.com/first-na … ce-rupert/

I thought they were all against anything to do with oil ??

yes but I guess money talks …

There’s no rail line up there so does this mean that there is some First Nations in support of a pipeline?

with enough money anything can happen

yes they were quite vocal about the enbridge proposal they were dead set against it in case it had a rupture and spilled the oil but here is a link

theglobeandmail.com/report-o … le8203923/

that shows they are for an oil pipeline as long as they own it. my question is, is an oil spill better if owned by enbridge or their proposal? don’t get me wrong im all for the pipeline and don’t care who owns it.

I think that it means nothing more than that Eagle Spirit Holdings, a private business owned by a couple of aboriginal business men and the Aquilini group (which otherwise owns the Canucks and some hotels) is proposing an oil pipeline and a refinery. According to the Mayor Reece’s letter, the Lax Kwalaams first nation is giving Eagle Spirit an opportunity to make a public presentation. I don’t think that anything more can be read into the story than that.

I don’t see any statement in there that the Lax Kwalaams first nation supports or opposes the proposal, which at this stage is probably nothing more than a general concept. It is important to avoid lumping private developers/promoters together with a first nation and its’ government as a collective “they” because the business is part owned by some aboriginal individuals.

An article in North Coast Review provides further background about Eagle Spirit and its’ backers < northcoastreview.blogspot.ca/201 … y-bay.html >.

Mayor Reece’s letter mentions another meeting to provide an update on negotiations over LNG issues. It appears that the first nation’s approach is to talk to people or enter into negotiations before deciding whether to support or oppose a proposed project. That approach seems to be in line with the Clark government’s approach, which is to treat each proposal on its’ merits.

Perhaps our City council can learn from this example. They seem to oppose developments or have grave concerns on the basis of little discussion or information and no negotiations with the Province about revenue sharing and other arrangements to ensure that the City benefits if a project is approved and goes ahead.

[quote=“BTravenn”]

I think that it means nothing more than that Eagle Spirit Holdings, a private business owned by a couple of aboriginal business men and the Aquilini group (which otherwise owns the Canucks and some hotels) is proposing an oil pipeline and a refinery. According to the Mayor Reece’s letter, the Lax Kwalaams first nation is giving Eagle Spirit an opportunity to make a public presentation. I don’t think that anything more can be read into the story than that.

I don’t see any statement in there that the Lax Kwalaams first nation supports or opposes the proposal, which at this stage is probably nothing more than a general concept. It is important to avoid lumping private developers/promoters together with a first nation and its’ government as a collective “they” because the business is part owned by some aboriginal individuals.

An article in North Coast Review provides further background about Eagle Spirit and its’ backers < northcoastreview.blogspot.ca/201 … y-bay.html >.

Mayor Reece’s letter mentions another meeting to provide an update on negotiations over LNG issues. It appears that the first nation’s approach is to talk to people or enter into negotiations before deciding whether to support or oppose a proposed project. That approach seems to be in line with the Clark government’s approach, which is to treat each proposal on its’ merits.

Perhaps our City council can learn from this example. They seem to oppose developments or have grave concerns on the basis of little discussion or information and no negotiations with the Province about revenue sharing and other arrangements to ensure that the City benefits if a project is approved and goes ahead.[/quote]

I see what you’re saying but at this point the willingness to even entertain an oil refinery at Grassy Point and having community consultations on the possibility is a far cry from the outright condemnation of oil tankers and pipelines that we’ve grown used to hearing from First Nations. It also shows that they are far from unified on it as well. I found this to be an interesting statement…

"“We want to work with communities to establish a First Nations Energy Corridor across northern British Columbia.”

firstperspective.ca/index.ph … =/ccomment

Isn’t a corridor an access point? We’ve heard that term most often when discussing pipelines.

The issue can play out in exactly the opposite way. Any local government, whether municipal or first nation, that decides to oppose a development before regulatory bodies or in court can make a more persuasive case if it has actually met the proponent and heard first hand about what is being proposed.

I doubt that the theatrics of blanket condemnations are ever very effective (or “helpful” as the chair of the Joint Review Panel said on a number of occasions).

I don’t think that there is any basis for concluding anything. Also, who exactly are “they”? Mayor Reece and his council are accountable to their constituents, not to first nations at large.