The Squamish Nation is continuing with its independent assessment of the Woodfibre LNG and associated FortisBC proposals, according to a spokesperson for the Nation.
The Nation sent out an update to members last week that said if all information needed for a decision by its chiefs and council had been gathered from the proponents, the findings would be presented to Squamish Nation members in May.
The Nation has been holding regular community meetings and held open houses where the pros and cons of the project were presented, according to the update.
The final decisions on the projects are expected in June, the notice states. The decision would be shared with federal and provincial governments prior to the release of the Environmental Assessment reports expected mid-summer.
The Nation began its assessment in July of 2014.
Chief Ian Campbell said that the Nation did not trust the Environmental Assessment office to consider Squamish Nation interests in its assessment of the project.
“We weren’t satisfied with the provincial and federal environmental assessment process. It doesn’t adequately look at issues important to the Squamish Nation, such as our rights and title and other interests that we have,” he said in the notice to members.
Squamish Nation member Carol Joseph said she does not support the proposed Woodfibre LNG (liquefied natural gas) project export facility set for Howe Sound.
“The people are really angry about that,” she said. “Some councillors are probably for it and some aren’t. None of the people want it to go through.”
Joseph said the killer whales and dolphins are just starting to come back to Howe Sound, and she doesn’t want any project to jeopardize that.
“That is so amazing,” she said.
Fellow band member Clarissa Antone said she has attended many of the Squamish Nation meetings about the projects.
“I know that [Woodfibre LNG] is not safe for the environment or the people,” she said. “I hope I am being heard.”
She said about 90 per cent of the Squamish Nation band members she talks to about the Woodfibre LNG project are opposed.
“I am really worried about this LNG – I don’t want that to go through. Why would we destroy our own Mother Earth? She’s being destroyed enough.”
Antone said she doesn’t see that the Nation council is leaning one way or the other, so far.
Joyce Williams, an organizer of the Skwomish Action anti-LNG rally in Squamish at the end of March, agreed that most Nation members are opposed to the projects, but said she was encouraged the Squamish Nation leadership was willing to take on its own assessment.
“I am very grateful to our Squamish Nation council for taking the initiative to conduct their own review process,” she said. “As First Nations people, we have different values and concerns regarding the Environmental Assessment.”
Campbell is on record as saying they will not allow outsiders, for or against the pipeline, to decide the matter for Squamish Nation.
The Squamish Nation has about 4,000 members, and the Nation’s traditional territory is about 623,000 hectares and includes Squamish. The proposed Woodfibre LNG site, which is the former site of the Woodfibre pulp mill, is the traditional Squamish Nation’s village site of Swiyot.
