Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says heB次元官网网址檚 concerned that blockades in support of First Nations opponents to a northern British Columbia natural gas pipeline are a B次元官网网址渄ress rehearsalB次元官网网址� for opposition to future energy projects.

Demonstrations have blocked railways, ports and bridges across the country in solidarity with hereditary chiefs fighting the Coastal GasLink project that crosses the traditional territory of the WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n First Nation.

Kenney described the protests at a Tuesday news conference as B次元官网网址漞cocolonialismB次元官网网址� from southern Canadians B次元官网网址減rojecting their own fringe political agenda.B次元官网网址�

He said the protests are not about Indigenous rights because all 20 elected First Nations band councils along the pipeline route have signed benefit agreements with Coastal GasLink.

The WetB次元官网网址檚uwetB次元官网网址檈n hereditary chiefs, however, assert title to a 22,000-square-kilometre traditional territory. They say the band council established by the Indian Act only has authority over reserve lands.

Anyone demonstrating because of the pipelineB次元官网网址檚 climate impact is hypocritical, because the line would enable countries such as China to burn liquefied natural gas from Canada instead of dirtier coal, Kenney added.

B次元官网网址淭his is not about Indigenous people. ItB次元官网网址檚 not about carbon emissions. ItB次元官网网址檚 about a hard-left ideology that is, frankly, opposed to the entire modern industrial economy. ItB次元官网网址檚 about time that our police services demonstrated that this is a country that respects the rule of law,B次元官网网址� the premier said.

B次元官网网址淎llowing people to completely destabilize the lives of tens of thousands of people, costing all of us untold costs in our economy B次元官网网址� in opposition to the express democratic wishes of First Nations is outrageous and it has to end.B次元官网网址�

Kenney has also argued that Indigenous rights are not a valid reason to oppose the proposed Teck Frontier oilsands mine in northeastern Alberta. He reiterated in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week that 14 affected First Nations and Metis communities have signed participation agreements.

The chief of one of those communities wrote in a letter to federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson that Alberta has so far done little to accommodate his First NationB次元官网网址檚 concerns over environmental monitoring and wildlife conservation.

B次元官网网址淲hile both Teck and Canada are dealing with us in good faith, we feel that Alberta has not taken its duty to consult seriously,B次元官网网址� Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam wrote last week.

Alberta Environment Minister Jason Nixon said Tuesday that the United Conservative government has met with the First Nation almost a dozen times in recent months and continues to work closely with it.

He said concerns over a bison herd in the region are OttawaB次元官网网址檚 responsibility and Alberta has already created a large wildland park for caribou.

B次元官网网址淐hief Adam primarily seems to want to discuss money. And while I understand that it is his responsibility to drive the best deal he can for his constituents and for his band, it is also our responsibility to make sure that we work on behalf of Alberta taxpayers and move forward in a productive way for that portion of the province,B次元官网网址� Nixon said.

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The federal cabinet has until the end of the month to make its decision on the $20.6-billion oilsands mine.

Kenney said in his letter to Trudeau that a rejection would have devastating consequences and would stoke western alienation.

The project is expected to emit about four million tonnes of carbon a year and operate for 40 years. Kenney said Teck has made great strides to reduce emissions per barrel.

Kenney said that in a world expected to need oil for decades B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渘ot the fantasy land where we fuel the modern economy with pixie dust and unicorn fartsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 better to have a B次元官网网址減rogressiveB次元官网网址� company such as Vancouver-based Teck Resources provide it than B次元官网网址漁PEC dictatorships.B次元官网网址�

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Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

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