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Enbridge

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Position Paper for
Environmentalists Non-Government Organizations on
Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Project

Overview

Enbridge is Canada’s largest natural gas distribution company. Founded 61 years ago, it is the single largest transporter of crude oil and petroleum products in North America. On May 27, 2010, Enbridge submitted a regulatory application for a $5.5 billion project named Northern Gateway Project (NGP). This pipeline project consists of a twin pipeline system transporting petroleum and condensate from Bruderheim, Alberta, near Edmonton, to the marine terminals in Kitimat, British Columbia. Crude oil or petroleum is used to make gasoline, lubricants for machinery, asphalt, plastics, and many others everyday necessities. …show more content…

4. Addressing legal requirements regarding aboriginal and treaty rights, and ensuring First Nations provided with the opportunities, information and resources necessary to participate in and benefit from a heavy-oil project. 5. Ensuring British Columbia receives a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits of a proposed heavy oil project that reflects the level, degree and nature of the risk borne by the province, the environment and taxpayers.

Since the pipeline will put B.C. at 100% of the marine risk and a significant portion (56%) of land-based risk (Fortems, 2012), Clark notes that B.C. needs to be promised its fair share to even consider the pipeline.

Aboriginals
Aboriginals, as mentioned in the fourth condition put forward by Clark, play a large role in the project. There are more than 130 First Nations groups in Western Canada, including both treaty and non-treaty nations. More than 50% of the proposed pipeline route is placed in First Nations’ territories, and they are actively opposing the project (NRDC, 2011). They are primarily concerned that it will compromise their way of life, which depends on water for their livelihood, culture, and health. Water is a significant part of their way of life and is jeopardized by the pipelines. It is only a matter of time before an oil spill happens and endangers the land, the water, and the forests. One particular forest, the Great Bear Rainforest, is the only habitat for the

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