AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 premier says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to move swiftly to approve the Teck Frontier oilsands mine north of Fort McMurray.
Jason Kenney says there is no reason to delay the go-ahead for the $20.6-billion project near Wood Buffalo National Park in northeastern Alberta.
A federal-provincial review last summer determined Frontier , even though it would be likely to harm the environment and the land, resources and culture of Indigenous people.
B次元官网网址淭heir current deadline is the end of February for a decision B次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檝e been very clear to the prime minister B次元官网网址� if they say no to this project, then they are signalling his earlier statement that he wants to phase out the oilsands,B次元官网网址� Kenney said Monday.
Trudeau commented at a town hall meeting in January 2017 that his government was attempting to balance economic and environmental concerns.
B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 shut down the oilsands tomorrow. We need to phase them out. We need to manage the transition off of our dependence on fossil fuels, but itB次元官网网址檚 going to take time, and, in the meantime, we have to manage that transition,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said at the time.
The Frontier mine north of Fort McMurray, Alta., would produce 260,000 barrels of oil a day and about four million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year, for more than 40 years.
The federal government must make a decision by the end of February under the Environmental Assessment Act.
Kenney said itB次元官网网址檚 time that the federal Liberals start listening to the majority of First Nations leaders who support projects such as Teck, the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northeastern B.C.
B次元官网网址淚 implore the federal government. If reconciliation means something, surely it means saying B次元官网网址榶esB次元官网网址� to economic development for First Nations people.B次元官网网址�
Kenney was speaking at an announcement of the new board of directors for the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp. The Crown corporation plans to allocate up to $1 billion in support, such as loan guarantees, to qualified First Nations seeking an equity position in major resource projects.
The communities need to come up with $20 million for investment, but can receive support of up to $250 million.
Kenney said the corporation could provide financial support to a group seeking to buy a stake in the $7.4-billion Trans Mountain project.
B次元官网网址淲e continue to discuss this with the federal government,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he prime minister has expressed an interest in selling a stake to First Nations. If that future potential First Nations consortium comes forward to the (Alberta corporation) with an application, IB次元官网网址檓 sure it will be given serious consideration.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE:
The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on
