Newsletter: Indigenous LNG exports, Crystal Smith honoured, Indigenous energy news, and more

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Photo: LNG Canada site 2025

Diversify our exports with Indigenous LNG

That’s from our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, writing in The Vancouver Sun:

“I have been meeting officials in Japan. Our stable, long-time ally and trading partner wants Canadian LNG. Our allies in Korea want it too. And Malaysia. All throughout Asia, in fact.

“There is a huge market for Canada’s LNG, much beyond what Phase 1 of LNG Canada’s project can deliver. We must answer the call, now more than ever. For our own sake. . . .

“It’s not just Canadian LNG we are exporting, it’s Indigenous LNG. Our LNG industry in B.C. has been developed in partnership with First Nations.”

Photo: Chief Crystal Smith

Crystal Smith: Energy Person of the Year

Chief Councillor Crystal Smith of the Haisla Nation (and chair of our Alliance) is honoured by the Energy Council of Canada as Canadian Energy Person of the Year for 2024.

“She advocates for Haisla-Nation-owned joint venture partnerships which allow for participation in major projects in Haisla territory.

“Using those opportunities provides a doorway for members to find rewarding work and educational opportunities to enhance their skills and improve social conditions in Haisla communities.

“Ultimately, she wants the work done today by her and all of the Council to benefit today’s 1,700 Haisla people as well as future generations.”

 As well, the Public Policy Forum will honour Chief Crystal at the organization’s Testimonial Dinner in Toronto in April.

“She is a guiding force behind Cedar LNG, the world’s first Indigenous majority-owned LNG project.”

Chief Crystal on benefits from LNG

“So much opportunity, unlimited opportunity. . . .

“We’ve built a state-of-the-art health facility in our community. We’ve built a 23-unit apartment complex. And this is all to meet the needs of our people today. We are just getting going. . . .

“And essentially, I believe that when we’re supporting LNG projects, we’re supporting taking care of the environment in a global perspective.”

Photo: Kwiakha Nation solar project

Indigenous Energy News

ALSO IN THE NEWS

  •  BC’s new list of resource projects to expedite includes the Haisla Nation’s Cedar LNG, Enbridge’s T-North gas pipelines, and NEBC Connector pipelines for condensate and natural-gas liquids. https://ow.ly/YVKk50UTJpf
  • Delta council asks BC to expedite FortisBC’s Tilbury LNG plant expansion, to help the Canadian export market and economy: https://ow.ly/7wQU50UTEGw
  • View: New pipelines are Canada’s ‘trump card,’ and we should also fast-track proposed LNG facilities on the West Coast: https://ow.ly/ZaGl50UTaYh
  • 79% per cent of Canadians agree the country needs to ‘ensure it has oil and gas pipelines running from sea to sea across the country.’ https://ow.ly/zBiv50UUWGE
  • Our LNG to Europe? Quebec now could be open to GNL Quebec’s Énergie Saguenay LNG project (and its Gazoduc pipeline) that Quebec rejected in 2021 and Ottawa in 2022: https://ow.ly/kR3s50UUo87
  • How to make North American energy great again. And how Canada’s LNG can help advance energy security in Asia. By CEO François Poirier of TC Energy: https://ow.ly/JOoT50UTqVs

EVENTS

(Posted here 14 February 2025)

First Nations Natural Gas Alliance Newsletter