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Canada’s federal court to rule on Indigenous challenge to Trans Mountain pipeline

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Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal is scheduled to rule on Tuesday whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s government adequately consulted Indigenous people when it approved last year an expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline.

Approval would clear some uncertainty over the twinning of a 67-year-old pipeline that runs from Alberta to the British Columbia coast. If the panel of judges decides that Indigenous consultation — required by law for major Canadian resource projects — was insufficient, the decision could further delay what the energy industry says is a vital project.

Ottawa bought the pipeline in 2018 to ensure expansion proceeded, offering a lifeline to Alberta’s struggling oil patch. Congested pipelines have forced the Alberta provincial government to curtail production to reduce a glut in storage that has weighed on prices and led to layoffs in the industry.

The Federal Court intends to post the decision online at 1 p.m. ET (1800 GMT).

“Every investor is really watching this situation,” said Stephanie Kainz, senior associate at consultancy RS Energy Group in Calgary, adding she expects further challenges. “Until there’s a definite go-ahead, I think it’s concerning for everybody.”

Four Indigenous groups alleged in court in December that Ottawa delayed sharing key information and listened half-heartedly to concerns.

“We’ve been really trying to stand up for our interests and articulate that the minimum standard that the government has applied in this case has not been lived up to,” said Squamish Nation council member Khelsilem, who uses a single name.

Squamish, located in British Columbia, is concerned about potential spills on land and sea, he said.

A Canadian court ruled in August 2018 that Ottawa had failed to properly consult Indigenous people, prompting the government to redo consultation before reapproving the expansion in June 2019. In September, the Court of Appeal agreed to hear fresh concerns that the government fell short again.

“The Trans Mountain pipeline is vital for not only Alberta, but Canada as a whole,” said Kavi Bal, senior press secretary for Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage. “With construction already underway, we remain optimistic that Trans Mountain will be completed.”

The Canada Energy Regulator is separately conducting hearings for contested portions of the Trans Mountain route.

Trans Mountain expansion is one of three projects, along with TC Energy Corp’s Keystone XL and Enbridge Inc’s Line 3, that have been stalled for years.

On Monday, Line 3 cleared key hurdles before a Minnesota regulator.

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

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EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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26-year-old son is accused of his father’s murder on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

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RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.

Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.

The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.

It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.

Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.

The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART strike continues after talks break with no deal

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VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”

However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.

He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.

The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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