Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says there is a new sense of urgency to get approval for the Energy East pipeline, but he is already rejecting calls for a special resource revenue-sharing deal with First Nations.
That call comes from the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, whose chief, Bobby Cameron, says the organization has been on the sidelines long enough. The FSIN wants nation-to-nation consultations, a share of the jobs and a share of oil royalties on any major projects that affect reserve land.
Premier Brad Wall says the provincial government’s position has not changed.
“We do not support a formula-based revenue-sharing agreement with any group no matter how it is defined or decided,” he said. We think that money belongs to everyone equally in the province, so we would have a concern with that.”
The premier also says the Energy East pipeline project, which would take western crude to eastern refineries, is now even more vital for Saskatchewan after last week’s rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline that would have moved western crude through the U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico.
Brad Wall says there will be full consultation with First Nations groups, with benefits going to all Canadians.
“But it’s even more important now for the entire energy sector,” he said. “We need the chance to move product across the country with the opportunity to perhaps increase the price we are getting for the resource on behalf of its owners – the people of Saskatchewan and Canada.”
The $12 billion Energy East project will span about 4,600 kilometers delivering 1.1 million barrels of oil per day to eastern refineries. The FSIN says 155 First Nations communities will see infrastructure projects built on their land as a result.
On another topic on Monday, Wall says he is looking forward to working with the federal government to help boost spending for First Nations education and infrastructure funding.
Wall says the province and the new Liberal government share similar views on both topics, something the premier says was not the case with the Harper government.