Union of B.C. Indian Chief Grand Chief, Stewart Phillip, says he feels like he's been "thrown under the Alberta bus" after the Trudeau Government approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion, suggesting a backroom deal betwen the federal government and Alberta was struck in order to give the greenlight to the project.
"Well clearly there's been a lot of backroom dealing between the government of Canada, the Prime Minister's office and Alberta provincial government."
Phillip notes Prime Minister Trudeau wanted a national carbon policy and needed Alberta to sign on, and Alberta needed tidewater to move their oil products and needed the pipeline approved.
" So all of the science and the arguments and the legal rights of indigenous peoples were simply swept aside. The hundreds of thousands of British Columbians that opposed the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline's concerns were swept aside in favour of Alberta. And we take great issue with that."
Phillip says it doesn't bode well for future relations between indigenous peoples and the Liberal government.
" You know it's a watershed moment in the relationship between British Columbia and the federal government. And these are serious issues, and we have a very serious battle in front of us."
Phillip says Indigenous people don't stand alone in this issue, the mayors of Victoria, Burnaby, and Vancouver are also against the project.