The narrative surrounding oil pipelines in British Columbia is often presented as unanimous opposition from First Nations along the coast. Mainstream media frequently portrays a unified front, suggesting every community vehemently rejects any such development. But a closer look reveals a far more complex reality.
The organization most prominently cited as representing this opposition, Coastal First Nations, isn’t actually a collective of bands. It’s a non-profit society, based in Vancouver, known officially as the Great Bear Initiative Society. Its origins lie in substantial funding from American foundations with a clear agenda against Canadian oil and gas production.
Millions of dollars have flowed into Coastal First Nations from groups like the Tides Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. These organizations weren’t simply offering charitable donations; they were actively funding a campaign to curtail oil production in Canada, specifically targeting the Alberta oil sands.
This isn’t a new development. Back in 2008, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund spearheaded a campaign to dismantle the “tar sands” industry. They were instrumental in opposing the Northern Gateway pipeline project, a proposal remarkably similar to the one Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is now pursuing.
The current opposition echoes this earlier, American-funded resistance. While some Canadian federal funding now contributes to the effort, the roots remain firmly planted in external sources seeking to influence Canada’s energy policy. The narrative of unwavering Indigenous opposition is, in part, a carefully cultivated one.
In 2014, Art Sterritt, then executive director of Coastal First Nations, issued a stark warning against any pipeline construction, promising Indigenous resistance. This threat occurred despite the fact that many communities along the proposed route actually supported the Northern Gateway project.
Today, Coastal First Nations continues to assert its opposition, declaring that no pipeline will be built on their watch. However, their claim to represent all coastal Indigenous communities is demonstrably inaccurate. They possess representation within some communities, but do not speak for everyone, just as they didn’t in 2014.
Voices advocating for responsible resource development are often marginalized. Individuals like Ellis Ross, a Conservative MP and former chief of the Haisla Nation, have consistently supported pipelines, recognizing their economic potential. Yet, media coverage disproportionately favors those aligned with the Coastal First Nations stance.
The recent memorandum of understanding between the federal government and Alberta doesn’t guarantee a pipeline, but it establishes a pathway for its potential development. Asserting that any single group – Indigenous or provincial – holds a veto power ignores established law and Supreme Court rulings.
A genuine and open discussion about the feasibility of a pipeline to the northwest coast is urgently needed. Treating certain groups as if they possess undue influence or special powers serves no one. Coastal First Nations is, fundamentally, an activist organization, and should be recognized as such.
