CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER

Liquefied natural gas is on the horizon in British Columbia.

The B.C. government supports it, and sees LNG exports as a source of revenue and jobs. But will LNG plants and their associated naturalgas pipelines get built? If so, when? There are obstacles along the way, and one is First Nations participation.

The public is often told that First Nations in B.C. are opposed to energy development, that they are in agreement with environmentalists who want to stop the development of carbon fuels in the province.

The First Nations LNG Alliance says that perception is exaggerated and incorrect. The alliance includes communities between the northeast of the province and Kitimat, where two major LNG facilities are in the final stages of making investment decisions. The alliance is a collective of First Nations that states its objective is to participate in, and be supportive of, sustainable and responsible LNG development in the province.

We asked former Haisla chief councillor Ellis Ross, now the MLA for Skeena to join us for a Conversation That Matters to talk about why he opposed the Northern Gateway Pipeline but supports the development of LNG in B.C.

Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue presents Conversations That Matter. Join veteran broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for an important and engaging Conversation about the issues shaping our future. Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge at https://goo.gl/ypXyDs