First Nations Group Opposes Major Projects Ahead of Prime Minister's Visit to Prince Rupert
B.C. North (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia)
Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit Prince Rupert on Tuesday to meet with Coastal First Nations, discussing significant projects in northern B.C. Gitga'at First Nation spokesperson Art Sterritt expresses concerns about the potential consequences of an oil spill and emphasizes the importance of upholding the current oil tanker ban.
The Gitga'at First Nation is firmly against an oil pipeline to the North Coast and the lifting of a decades-old tanker ban. Art Sterritt aims to educate the Prime Minister on the environmental risks associated with oil spills and the need to respect the existing ban.
Tom Summer (https://www.cbc.ca/author/tom-summer-1.7612154) · CBC News
· Posted: Jan 13, 2026 9:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours ago
The meeting between Prime Minister Carney and Coastal First Nations is intended to address ongoing projects and potential collaborations between the federal government and Indigenous communities in the region, according to an unnamed government official.
Last year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Ottawa and Alberta, paving the way for a potential oil pipeline and the lifting of the oil tanker ban along B.C.'s North Coast.
Coastal First Nations previously voiced strong opposition to an oil pipeline to the North Coast, asserting that the project will not materialize. Art Sterritt highlights the lack of economic value in these projects and criticizes the colonial practice of relocating industries once resources have been depleted.
"We have everything we need within our traditional territories," Sterritt stated, emphasizing the region's self-sufficiency in food, wildlife, and natural resources.
Any jobs created by these projects, Sterritt argues, do not outweigh the environmental risks, citing human error as the cause of past disasters like the sinking of the Queen of the North and a U.S. navy vessel that leaked fuel in 2012.
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs issued a statement in November against liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including the Ksi Lisims and North Coast Transmission Line.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip expressed disappointment, stating that the rights of Indigenous people are not being considered by the Prime Minister. He emphasized the environmental and cultural impact of these projects, expressing heartbreak over the potential sacrifice of British Columbia's natural beauty for oil and gas development.
The Prime Minister's meeting with Coastal First Nations leadership is scheduled for 9 a.m. PT on Tuesday, with discussions expected to focus on major projects in the region.
