The Western Indigenous Pipeline Group, a group of First Nations looking to buy the Trans Mountain pipeline, are firing back at a Union of BC Indian Chiefs letter asking them to stay away.
WIPG Chair, and Whispering Pines Chief, Mike LeBourdais says the letter sent to the UBCIC and all First Nations communities along the pipeline simply rebuts what he called myths.
He says anti-pipeline arguments from Grand Chief Stewart Philip are false, based on flawed assumptions, or quote “indicative of an old way of thinking.”
For example the claim the pipeline will not be profitable.
“First of all I would like to thank UBCIC for their concern about my financial well being at my band however I do have financial experts that are advising me on how this will work.”
He says among those experts is TD Securities and other groups who actually do pipeline modelling to show profitability.
LeBourdais says buying the Trans Mountain pipeline is an opportunity for First Nations to stand on their own, achieve economic prosperity, and get a seat at the table to have their say on things like environmental protections.
The letter in full is below.