Big news today: The federal government finally announced what some of its plans are for changes to environmental reviews and the NEB process when it comes to pipelines. We've been waiting ever since the Liberals won the election to find out how this would impact the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Here's Terry Beech's response. He's the MP in Burnaby North-Seymour. The pipeline terminus is in his riding, and it's his party now calling the shots in Ottawa.
Jennifer Moreau: What did you think of the changes?
Terry Beech: I said during the campaign that we were going to revise the NEB process, make sure it was fair, objective, based on science. This is the start of delivering on that promise. We also said that we’re going to provide a more robust environmental process, specifically, we want to make sure we consider the views of the public and affected communities. We want to take into account traditional knowledge and views of indigenous people and also consider the direct and upstream greenhouse gas emissions for major energy projects. There are two things to talk about here, one is that we are committing to a longer legislative review of the entirety of the NEB process, but then we are also going to have a transitory process that will take these things into account for projects that are currently being done, such as, our favourite, the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
(Note: when he says ‘favourite,’ he means the one we always talk about during interviews for the paper.)
Moreau: A lot of that sounds like the talking points we heard (in the press conference) today. The two NDP MPs (in Burnaby) have already contacted me with criticism saying this doesn’t change anything. The only change is tacking on the extra months to the time the government has to review the projects, which it can do already, so it sounds like the government is doing what it can without changing the NEB rules (Act) because they won’t have time.
Beech: Part of the transitory process, as well, is we are appointing this ministerial representative. They are going to have a specific mandate to go out and fulfill the thing we promised during the election – engaging communities, to make sure everybody feels they’ve been heard, especially indigenous communities.
Moreau: But is any of that going to happen for this Kinder Morgan pipeline hearing?
Beech: Yes, this specifically is going to happen for the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
So the ministerial representative is going to be appointed and is going to go around to engage all local stakeholders and communities.
Moreau: For Burnaby, for this one?
Beech: Yes, I believe so.
Moreau: Any idea who it is?
Beech: I do not?
Moreau: Would they pick an MP? Would they pick you to do it because you’re local?
Beech: I don’t know. I would expect it would be somebody that would go from Edmonton to Burnaby and talk to the various communities that are affected.
Moreau: The NDP is already jumping on this saying this is just window dressing. Any comments in response to that? They’re also saying this does not live up to what you guys were talking about before the election because it sounded very much like Kinder Morgan would have to go through a new process.
Beech: First of all this is a new process. This is a revised process. In order to do a full revision of the National Energy Board process, that’s going to take significant more time. We have to remember there are a large number of community groups that have spent money and thousands of hours preparing their presentations, right? This allows us to both take that into account as well as going to collect new information to deliver closure on a timely basis both to the proponent but also to the communities.
Moreau: Yes, but a lot of people in the community have given up on the process. They’re saying, Why should we participate, the whole thing is a sham. And you have other people, like the mayor of Burnaby, saying halt the hearings until they can fix (the process).
Beech: This is why we have the appointment of a ministerial representative to go around and engage in this process in a parallel to what has already happened with the NEB, because we realize that the NEB process, as it currently exists, is flawed. That’s why we’re proposing these transitory changes for the Kinder Morgan pipeline, to take those concerns specifically into account.
Moreau: Just on the actual mechanics of the changes, so the NEB’s deadline to make a recommendation hasn’t changed; it’s only the period in which cabinet deliberates on that recommendation, right?
Beech: I believe that is correct. … We’re applying for our extension so the deadline moves to December, which allows for more time to take place. If it’s December, we’re talking about almost a year.
Moreau: Well, no, not if you were supposed to give an answer in August. That’s only a few months (difference).
Beech: No, I mean the time for the ministerial representative to get going.
Moreau: When is this ministerial representative going to start?
Beech: That I don’t have an answer on, but I would expect it’s a top priority, but I don’t have a specific answer.
Moreau: When you find out, can you let me know?
Beech: 100 per cent.
Moreau: And whether or not he or she will be coming to Burnaby and who this person is?
Beech: Sure, and again, I know this is a talking point, but this commitment is serious, and we should continue to say it as often as we can the prime minister has committed and said repeatedly “government issue permits, but only communities can grant permission,” and we’re standing by that.
Moreau: But what if this community doesn’t grant permission? The city of Burnaby is against it, the mayor is against it, we’ve got a number of residents against it, you’ve got people protesting outside the NEB hearings against it.
Beech: That is exactly what the government and the house will have to take into consideration when it comes down to making a decision.
