UN Committees Hot on the Heels of Human Rights Abusers

"[The committee failed to study First Nations views toward the project; I] did not know [that most First Nations committees supported the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline]."
"I did not know that most First Nations agree on that. This is something new that comes to my understanding."
Noureddine Amir, Chair, United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

"I frankly find it condescending to the work the 20 nations have done in the past six or seven years to get the project to where it is today."
"I think it speaks volumes in terms of the sensationalism [around] a topic that is getting so much attention."
"There are sides to the story that are not being reflected and frankly there are not many voices in the media in support of the project [to bring natural gas via a pipeline to an export facility along the West coast of British Columbia]."
"They [TC Energy based in Calgary] offer the solution to social issues that no other entity, no other political body, no other government has been able to do for our people."
Naisla Nation Chief Crystal Smith

"[CERD was] disturbed by the forced removal, disproportionate use of force, harassment and intimidation by law enforcement officials against Indigenous peoples who peacefully oppose large-scale development projects on their traditional territories."
CERD directive

"Of all people, someone in his position, you would think the very first thing he would do is at least to gather information on both sides of the story. It's unfortunate he never did his homework."
"He could have looked it up online and found out in seconds."
"I nearly spat out my coffee [reading the CERD directive]."
Chris Sankey, former elected band councillor, Lax Kw'alaams First Nation, Prince Rupert, B.C.

Wet'suwet'en Hereditary chiefs after issuing their eviction notice to the Coastal GasLink Pipeline. - Facebook

According to Haisla Chief Smith, the agreement in question that her community signed with TC Energy to build the pipeline in question represents their best opportunity to attain autonomy and to become financially independent. Proceeds that accrue to the First Nation, as it will to others signing the agreement, are set to be used in broad poverty-reduction programs along with associated social tools leading to efforts to "revitalize" the local culture.

A directive had been issued in December by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that called for three large-scale natural-resource projects in British Columbia to "immediately" be shut down. Those projects include the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline projected to feed into a massive export facility along the West coast, a project with signed benefit agreements linking 20 Indigenous communities along the 670 kilometre route cutting across their territory.

Chief Ellis Ross: “the UN has no frickin’ business talking about what’s happening here.”

Mr. Noureddine, chief of CERD had no real idea of what his committee based its conclusions on other than that they were defending the rights of Indigenous communities. No information had been sought to explain the issues involved because investigative work is not included in the committee's mandate. Which seems rather typical of any United Nations arm mandated to express opinion on issues based on surface circumstances when without a full understanding of issues and history they should neither condone nor condemn.

Major resource projects in Canada evolving around extraction, refining and use and shipping of fossil fuels have engendered great discussions and protests from environmental groups determined to halt any possible progression in the industry to the point where Canada, with its vast proven resources is unable to proceed with extraction, with pipelines sending product to other parts of Canada, instead shipping oil the vast distance from the Gulf States to North America. With the focus on the issue comes the erroneous impression that all First Nations are opposed to the industry.

The CERD directive called as well for an immediate stop to the Trans Mountain pipeline construction and the Site C dam in British Columbia. When Mr. Noureddine made it clear he had made no effort to investigate before condemning, First Nations representatives for whom the pipeline construction represents an opportunity to prosper from their territorial geology, responded with disbelief and anger. The Pacific North West LNG project since scrapped was a matter of negotiations for the Lax Kw'alaama First Nation as well.

"It is unbelievable that a  United Nations Committee who [s8c] attempted to single out Canada didn't even realize that many major Canadian projects have earned First Nations and community support", Sonya Savage, Alberta Energy Minister expressed in disgust, in a written statement. "With all the injustice in the world, it’s beyond rich that the unelected, unaccountable United Nations would seemingly single out Canada — one of the greatest champions of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Canada’s duly elected representatives — not unaccountable international committees — are responsible for governing decisions in this country."

Part of the broader $40 billion LNG Canada project under construction near Kitimat, British Columbia, the Coastal pipeline will eventually ship supercooled gas to Asian markets, the first major LNG project at the construction phase after years of regulatory delays and political disputes delaying such large-scale developments in Canada. And while there are some First Nations bands that protest the pipeline construction, there are others who fully support development.

Pipe for the Trans Mountain pipeline is unloaded in Edson, Alta. on June 18, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)