NDP Government's ambivalence on LNG development brings questions to Legislature Tuesday

Skeena MLA Ellis Ross was one of a number of
BC Liberal MLA's to take on the gov't over LNG on Tuesday

The lack of decision making on a number of provincial LNG projects had the BC Liberal opposition taking the governing NDP to task over the policy confusion and status for a number current projects.

A number of Liberal opposition members used the Tuesday morning Question period to try to get the provincial government to commit to progress for the projects, noting of one Haisla led project in particluar, CEDAR LNG as a major project that has found little progress to date when it comes to decision making by the Government.

Among those that challenged the government on the topic was Skeena Liberal MLA Ellis Ross.

"Haisla-Cedar LNG is one of the largest First Nations-led infrastructure projects in Canadian history with the potential to create thousands of jobs and reduce global emissions by replacing coal-fired power in Asia. But under this Premier, the project has been trapped in political purgatory since last November. 

The Premier is afraid to even talk about it. He's ashamed of our natural resources and LNG. He has no clear explanation or timeline for a decision on the Haisla-Cedar project. A simple question for the Premier: when will a decision be made so Haisla-Cedar LNG can start exporting clean and ethical LNG to the world? "

The reply from Environment Minister George Heyman, noted of the complicated nature of the project and how he and the Minister of Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation  were working towards a decision, a short synopsis that wasn't quite what the Skeena MLA was looking for on the day.

"That answer doesn't make any sense. LNG Canada was complicated. Phase 2 was complicated. When I was chief councillor of Haisla Nation, we actually put together Haisla-Cedar LNG as an accommodation of rights and title. 

I mean it's clear that the NDP are still ashamed of our natural resource economy, including LNG. We hear it in their debates every day in this Legislature. 

First Nations are doing their part to seize opportunities and lift their people from poverty.  But there is growing frustration over the Premier's delays and political purgatory. Chief Councillor Crystal Smith from the Haisla Nation said last month: "In regard to the approval of the environmental assessment, it has definitely been frustrating, to say the least." 

By law, the deadline for this government to decide on Cedar LNG was 45 days, but it's been over 100 days with no clear explanation or timeline. 

There was less timeline for LNG Canada. When will the Premier stop delaying and actually support one of the largest First Nations–led infrastructure projects in Canadian history?

The Q and A of Question period on the issue can be reviewed from the Legislature minutes 

The Skeena MLA has posted his Question Period exchange with Minister Heyman to his social media page

The  full Question Period Video featuring all of the participants is available here.

The Haisla led CEDAR LNG is not the only LNG project currently in motion in the Northwest, also in the planning stage is an LNG Proposal in the Nass Valley, the KSI Lisims LNG project.

A smaller scale export facility is also in development along Highway 16 in Port Edward.

Notes on the past, present and potential future for LNG in the region can be explored here.

Items of interest from the Legislature can be reviewed from our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.