AmericasGas

Canadian aboriginal tribe offered nearly $1bn to allow LNG export terminal

Vancouver: The Lax Kw’alaams First Nation, a Canadian aboriginal group, has been offered close to $1bn in return for endorsing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on Canada’s Pacific coast.

According to Bloomberg reports on Friday, the offer comes from a group led by Petronas, the Malaysian energy titan.

Petronas, which is wholly owned by Malaysia’s government, is dangling the big bucks so it can build the terminal at the port of Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia, at a site that is part of the native group’s traditional lands.

Then, if all goes to its plan, Petronas will be able to export LNG to energy-hungry markets in Asia.

LNG is obtained by chilling the gas at ultra-low temperatures to maximise the amount that can be loaded into vessels, making it economical and green friendly compared to many other fuels.

The Lax Kw’alaams community of around 3,600 people will vote on the plan, which includes other incentives from provincial governors and gas pipeline developers, later this month (May).

Even if the Lax Kw’alaams vote yes the project will still need environmental approval from the Canadian government.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.

Comments

  1. Will Contracts be VOIDED at Shareholders’ Expense for Trampling over “Consultation’ with the Most Vulnerable Band Members (95% – 99% of the Band Members) & Desecrating The W.A.D. Accord & its Compensation?

    NATIVE ‘ECONOMIC’ DEVELOPMENT;
    REOPENING TREATIES, both ‘DOMESTIC’ (First Nations) & ‘FOREIGN’ (Global Corporate);
    Corp. Canada Continues to Create Unrealistic Expectations for Treaty Signatories via Deprivation of Due Diligence Info. No 2X+ Direct Cash Dividends; Eco. Dev. Contracts VOID?

    Still NO MONEY for Sharing, Discussing & Improving The WAD Accord & its COMPENSATION in SAFE Forums; TPP, CETA corporations & SHAREHOLDERS brace for “You Should have Known’ Routine?

    Corporate Canada, Bay St., Parliament Insist upon Deluding; the most vulnerable Canadians, both Native & non Native (95% – 99% of all Canadians) and Global Corporate Assocs. ‘Ignoramus at Ignorambimus’?

    But, how much of the direct cash dividends are the most vulnerable band members obtaining from their share of ‘their’ economic development as per The W.A.D. Accord & its Compensation? Are the most vulnerables receiving a factor of two (2+) of the amount that can be obtained from all of the present sources of social assistance? Or, are the band managers claiming that the most vulnerables are obtaining “more benefits(?) than any other Native community”, or, are the rights of the most vulnerable First Nations members (ie. 95% – 99% of the members of the communities) once again being traded for future considerations that only benefit the families of the 1% – 5% of the communities)?

    And, how anxious is corporate Canada to make ‘arrangements’ with Native leaders that would avoid the time consuming process of re-opening existing treaties to include the provisions of The WAD Accord & its Compensation, and/or, of including the provisions in the treaties that are presently on-going in order that corporate Canada can ‘guarantee’ its global corporate associates that they will not be further encumbered by the development of Indigenous (human) rights & thus, be able to access, finance, develop, extract, trade, etc. the natural resources that are continuing to be found in Canada for the manufacturing profits, etc. of corporate Canada’s global (foreign) associates by way of the flurry of superseding treaties with foreigners, such as; The TPPartnership, The EU – Canada CETAgreement, NAFTAgreement, China – Canada ITreaty, et al?

    And, what are some of the other areas of information that corporate Canada is continuing not to share with its foreign associates, Native leaders, the most vulnerable community members, both; Native & non Native, et al, that are in the process of raising unrealistic expectations & greatly destabilizing the geo-political world while passing the costs on to the non shareholders?
    ****

    The W.A.D. Accord (a.k.a. The Australian Question) & The Compensation are presently before The Supreme Court of Canada. One of the many important questions is;

    The W.A.D. Accord (Less Comprehensive version)
    https://plus.google.com/100148384357668706698/posts/7HXsUbS2yNE
    …(basically) The W.A.D. Accord (aka; “The Australian Question as it pertains to Aboriginal Canadians states that most Canadians, et al, agree that it is a ‘rght’ not a ‘privilege’ for the most vulnerable Aboriginal community members, et al, to obtain from the government of Canada, et al, its (the government of Canada’s) criteria for ascertaining the health and robustness of their Native communities economies. That is to say; the criteria would probably include, amongst other things, a list of those environmentally sustainable businesses, industries and/or enterprises that can:
    1) provide the most vulnerable with the direct, cash dividends that amount to over two times (ie. factor of 2+) the
    amounts that the most vulnerable can obtain from all the present sources of social assistance,
    2) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
    3) be expanded to provide over 100% employment of the most vulnerable members of an Aboriginal community,
    and
    4) etc.

    And, finally, “The Australian Question” states that because “some” of the most vulnerable Aboriginal community members are being deprived of the aforementioned benefits and the information regarding
    these benefits, the most vulnerable are entitled to be compensated** for their deprivation (ie. their poverty, despair, disenchantment, fear, unconscionably high rates of unemployment & suicides, etc).. “The Question” asks; is $47,400 ($87,000 Australian, circa 1984) per year a reasonable compensation …?”

    **The Compensation; similar to the Residential Schools Abuse compensation, except larger.
    ***
    Also see;
    1) ‘The Submission’ to The SUPREME COURT of CANADA, et al,
    “The SHAREHOLDERS & Corporations of AMERICA, Australia, Canada, et al
    v
    the harmless Canadian NON shareholders, both; Native & non Native, et al”*

    and
    2) “The MERKEL (Chanc. Germ.) Letter; To Sue, or, Be Sued”?
    (see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com)

  2. ““high probability” that the Petronas-led group will make a final investment decision on the LNG export terminal by the middle of this year. ” …would be a major boom for this Listed sand and gravel co. Please exercise your due diligence
    http://ow.ly/MqHaC
    Please view Infographic of major port of Prince Rupert Construction projects
    http://ow.ly/MqHka

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