April 6, 2006

For Immediate Release

First Nations Announce Review Process for

Gateway Pipeline Project

A group of First Nations throughout Northern B.C. are pleased to announce that an inaugural Steering Committee has been formed to establish a First Nations Review Process (FNRP) to examine the proposed Enbridge Gateway Project.

The FNRP will consider the potential impacts of the proposed oil export pipeline and import condensate pipeline between Edmonton and Kitimat, and will also consider the associated tanker traffic that we could see oil leaving a port in Kitimat as well as condensate (diluent) entering the same port in Kitimat.

“Our people have responsibilities for the well being of our territories, and a duty to our people to determine whether or not a project of this magnitude should be allowed in” said Guujaaw, FNRP Steering Committee member and President of the Haida Nation.

The proposed project could go through the territories of a number of the participating First Nations Treaty lands or un-extinguished Title, and coastal tanker traffic will threaten the territories of others.

Enbridge has been advocating a process which would only consider a pipeline and not the tankers essential to the project. This process would examine the full scope of the project to determine whether or not it should proceed.

"We will be amongst the first people in line of risk and cannot sit idly by," said Geraldine Thomas-Flurer, FNRP Steering Committee member, and Saik’uz First Nation member.

The Steering Committee will establish the terms of reference for the First Nations Review Process, the identity of the Panel members, the scope of the inquiry and hearing processes in the coming months. The participating First Nations will authorize the panel and process. The First Nations will also determine the extent of interest of municipalities, non governmental organizations and even interests outside of BC and Canada in establishing the process.

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Contact: Guujaaw, Council of Haida Nation, 250-559-4468

Geraldine Thomas-Flurer, Saik’uz First Nation, 250-567-6050

Wayne Campbell, Wilps Nikat'een, 403-284-1551

Backgrounder

First Nations Review Process Steering Committee

First Nation or Group	Appointed Representative
Burns Lake Band	Ryan Tibbetts
Gitxaala First Nation	Clarence Innis
Haida Nation	Guujaaw
Heiltsuk Tribal Council	Ross Wilson
Nadleh Whut’en	Beverly Ketlo
Nak’azdli First Nation	Vince Prince
Saik’uz First Nation	Geraldine Flurer
West Moberly First Nations	Clarence Willson
Wilps Nikat'een	Skid’m del Hoya’t (Wayne Campbell)

Participant First Nations

Allied Tribes LaxKwalaams

Burns Lake Band

Doig River First Nation

Fort Nelson First Nation

Gitxaata Nation

Halfway River

Heiltsuk Tribal Council

Nadleh Whut’en

Nak’azdli First Nation

Saik’uz First Nation

Saulteau First Nation

Stellat’en First Nation

Takla Lake First Nation

Tl’azt’en First Nation

West Moberly First Nations

Wet’suwet’en First Nation

Wilps Nikat'een

Yekooche First Nation