By Canadian Press

B.C. First Nations leader reverses stance on Northern Gateway pipeline after Trump

Jan 21, 2025 | 10:46 AM

VANCOUVER — The president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs is reversing his previous opposition to the scrapped Northern Gateway pipeline project linking Alberta to the Pacific Ocean.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip says while he “really fought against” Northern Gateway’s construction before it was scuttled in 2016, that was a “different time” and Canada now has “no choice” but to reconsider.

That comes after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith suggested on social media that construction of the pipeline needs to “immediately start” to diversify the country’s export markets, in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canadian exports.

Phillip says he’s concerned that if Canada doesn’t “build that kind of infrastructure, Trump will,” and would do so without “any consideration for the environment or the rule of law.”

Phillip is attending a gathering between B.C.’s provincial cabinet and the province’s First Nations leaders in Vancouver on Tuesday, where co-ordinated approaches to Trump’s tariff threats are expected to be a key topic of discussion.

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First Nations leaders say they need to be at the table for any “Team Canada” approach to engaging with the Trump administration.

But the leaders, including Phillip, political executive of the First Nations Summit Chief Cheryl Casimer, and Regional Chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations Terry Teegee say no one has approached Indigenous communities about collaborating yet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2025.

Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press