Another nine First Nations have joined the fight to remove the Pacific Link Pipeline’s national interest designation.
Ottawa’s major projects office made the west coast pipeline the first to receive the tag last month.
That effectively means the Government has moved from determining whether it should be built to how it can be fast-tracked.
They aim to have that hashed out by next September.
But the Nations argue that dodges the requirement to receive free, prior and informed consent of First Nations.
Those that were consulted say the process was rushed, and done before the route, engineering, and environmental impacts were even known.
Other Nations, like the St’at’imc, weren’t even among the 130 consulted.
When they tried to intervene, they were told they weren’t on the route, and could only provide comments.
They say that’s a narrow definition for consultation, as it impacts the entire Fraser River and all its tributaries.
They’re joined by the Boston Bar, Cheam, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem, and Tsartlip First Nations, and the Lower Nicola and Skeetchestn Indian Bands in filing the suits.
Cold Lake First Nations filed the first legal challenge of the designation last month, bringing the total to ten.
But the Federal Government says they were prepared for court battles, and believe they met their duties to consult.
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