The federal government has announced a three-person panel to review the Kinder Morgan pipeline, just days before the National Energy Board’s makes its final recommendation on the project.
The feds promised a new process to review the pipeline, one that would take place after the NEB’s review wraps up this Friday.
The three-person panel includes Kim Baird, Tony Penikett and Annette Trimbee, and their job is to consult with communities and Indigenous groups about the pipeline from June to November.
Baird is a former elected chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation, and she’s an expert on treaty relations and aboriginal rights and title. Penikett, the Yukon’s former premier, worked as chief of staff for Ed Broadbent, the former NDP leader. Trimbee is the University of Winnipeg’s president, and she has deputy minister experience from Alberta.
Their work will culminate in a public report.
The feds promised three things for the Kinder Morgan pipeline: community consultation with a ministerial rep (now a three-person panel); more consultation with First Nations; and a greenhouse gas emissions assessment for the project, but for upstream emissions only. The emissions report is due this Friday.
The panel announcement came from Natural Resources Canada via press release, and the NOW asked if and when the three ministerial representatives would come to Burnaby. (Check this page for updates when we get a response.)
Terry Beech, the Liberal MP for Burnaby North-Seymour, said he would make sure local constituents have their voices heard in Ottawa.
"This will include various public consultations in Burnaby, North Vancouver and the Lower Mainland through the summer and into the fall. These consultations will include events we will organize ourselves as well as participating in events and hearings hosted by other stakeholders and those hosted by the panel. We will be reaching out to the panel to better understand how we can best engage and ensure that all relevant information finds its way to cabinet before a decision is made in December," he said. "This additional process is an important opportunity for all stakeholders to have their voices heard prior to a final decision being made. This panel has a broader scope than the NEB process which means it is a vehicle to bring forward a number of relevant issues that may not have been included previously."
Kennedy Stewart, MP for Burnaby Douglas, said the federal government's extra review process is a smoke screen. He questioned how they can consult with the dozens of municipalities and roughly 80 First Nations territories the pipeline route crosses.
"I think it's three people that are going to wander around communities and in the end rubber stamp the project. It doesn't change anything. Only Trudeau can stop Kinder Morgan," he said.
