THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

As reported on Northwest Coast Energy News, the Haisla Nation has filed a legal document outlining their opposition to Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline.  The central issue for the Haisla Nation is their sovereignty over their territory and their right to be properly consulted.  It is a key question that both the Harper government and Enbridge have preferred to ignore in the hopes that constitutional issues will not beleaguer the pipeline’s progress.  In addition, Enbridge’s original filing of questions to the Haisla and other nations reveal their attempt to discredit opponents of the pipeline.

With the completion of the Joint Review Panel process, now estimated for December 2013, these important questions of territorial rights and sovereignty will come into greater focus as the campaign to stop the pipeline enters the courts.

For Northwest Coast Energy News’ coverage of the Haisla announcement in three related articles, please see:

Haisla Nation confirms it opposes Northern Gateway, demands Ottawa veto Enbridge pipeline; First Nation also outlines “minimum conditions” if Ottawa approves the project

The Empire Strikes Back I: Enbridge takes on First Nations, small intervenors

The Enbridge Empire Strikes Back II: The Haisla “fishing expedition”

Haisla outline where they believe Enbridge Gateway plans are inadequate

Haisla outline conditions, concerns for Northern Gateway project