UBCIC Reaffirms Opposition to Fossil Fuel Pipelines and Clarifies Position on Natural Resource Development

January 22, 2025

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – January 22, 2025) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) has a long history of resolutions from the Chiefs Council opposing large scale destructive resource projects including Enbridge Northern Gateway and the proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline- this mandate has not changed, and the answer is still no.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, stated “We are very serious about the work we’ve done to date. We are simply not going to stand aside and let the gold rush overwhelm us. We remain acutely aware that we are in perilous times globally and need to be planning for the possibility of tariffs from President Trump. This does not mean building more pipelines, despite government deliberations and wildly speculative media- I do not support resuscitating dead projects such as the failed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would have been an absolute disaster for our lands and waters. I sincerely apologise for any confusion on this point. I want to take this opportunity to commend the thousands and thousands of good people across the country, led by First Nations in B.C., who opposed the project. It remains an absolute honour and privilege to have marched in the streets and stood in the courthouse in opposition.”

Chief Don Tom, UBCIC Vice-President, stated “We will continue to advance implementation of our inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights, as we always have and we always will, and we remind both B.C. and Canada of their commitments through their respective legislation to uphold the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Any natural resource development that is being planned must have the consent of First Nations involved and must follow high environmental standards including not increasing our greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to global warming.”

Chief Marilyn Slett, UBCIC Secretary-Treasurer, concluded “Our people were on the front lines and fought hard to successfully stop the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. The environmental risks to our territories were and are too great. Nothing has changed and we are not going to back down. The climate emergency does not recognize territorial boundaries, and emissions from a project in any one part of the province will have a broad impact. The last two years were the hottest on record and we must do everything in our power to stop the planet from warming more- this includes ensuring we do not support fossil fuel extraction and transmission through pipeline no matter what kind of threats Trump makes.”

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Media inquiries:

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President, 250-490-5314
Chief Don Tom, Vice-President, 604-290-6083
Chief Marilyn Slett, Secretary-Treasurer, 250-957-7721

UBCIC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

For more information, please visit www.ubcic.bc.ca

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