Members of the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation have again unanimously rejected $1 billion for their agreement to the Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal.
The Globe and Mail reports, “More than 255 eligible Lax Kw’alaams voters at a meeting Thursday night in Prince Rupert stood up to show their opposition, row upon row, two sources close to the aboriginal group said. In the first vote in Lax Kw’alaams on Tuesday night, more than 180 eligible voters also unanimously stood up to signal their opposition to the Pacific NorthWest LNG joint venture led by Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas.”
The next – and final community vote – will take place on Tuesday May 12 in Vancouver.
The article adds, “Besides the offer of $1-billion in cash over 40 years from Pacific NorthWest LNG, the B.C. government is willing to transfer of 2,200 hectares of Crown land, valued at $108-million, spread over the Prince Rupert harbour area and other property near Lax Kw’alaams.
But a community backgrounder notes that if the project proceeds Lelu Island will be effectively off bounds to Lax Kw’alaams members, that they won’t be able to harvest traditional plants and medicines, that as many as 432 culturally modified trees could be destroyed, and that associated pipeline on the seabed could alter access to traditional fishing grounds and contaminate salmon habitat through dredging.
The Council of Canadians is opposed to LNG terminals and pipelines given the associated fracking, water abuse, environmental damage and climate impacts that would result from them. For example, the Pacific NorthWest LNG terminal would release an estimated 5.28 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Further reading
In first vote, Lax Kw’alaams First Nation unanimously rejects $1 billion for LNG terminal (May 2015 blog)
