‘A northwest tidewater bitumen pipeline is the answer to being able to increase our production or increase our economic activity,’ said Dale Swampy, chief executive of the National Coalition of Chiefs.
By Steven Wilhelm Published Sep 22, 2025 Last updated 1 day ago
A First Nations group that’s in favour of oil and gas development is pushing for a new pipeline similar to Northern Gateway, an ill-fated project opposed by many Indigenous communities.
Dale Swampy, chief executive of the National Coalition of Chiefs, said an oil pipeline to the northern coast of British Columbia — a project he called “Northern Gateway 2.0.” — would lift up Indigenous groups and help them alleviate poverty.
“A northwest tidewater bitumen pipeline is the answer to being able to increase our production or increase our economic activity,” Swampy said in an interview.
Enbridge Inc.’s Northern Gateway would have shipped oil from Alberta to a terminal in Kitimat, B.C., but the Trudeau government effectively killed the pipeline. The project had faced strong opposition from environmental groups and many First Nations, who worried a possible spill would have devastating impacts on their communities.
The Federal Court of Appeal struck down Ottawa’s approval of the pipeline, ruling that the previous government under Stephen Harper had failed to properly consult with Indigenous groups. The court found that Enbridge, on the other hand, “engaged with all Aboriginal groups” surrounding the pipeline’s proposed route and marine terminal.
Swampy, a member of the Samson Cree Nation south of Edmonton, was part of Enbridge’s Indigenous consultation team as well as a group that negotiated economic benefits for communities along the route. After Gateway failed, he formed the pro-development National Coalition of Chiefs with the goal of “defeating on-reserve poverty” with natural resource projects.
A pipeline to the northern B.C. coast, he argued, would open the door for First Nations to reap economic prosperity that could come along with it. He said he supports Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s ambitions to have a pipeline ship Alberta oil to the Port of Prince Rupert, a different destination than what Enbridge had envisioned with Northern Gateway.
“We need to get our oil to international markets,” Swampy said.
Smith says province looking to ‘bridge the gap’ with Indigenous communities
By mid-November, the premier wants the federal government to include two more projects in its nation-building agenda: the oil pipeline and Pathways Alliance’s multi-billion-dollar carbon capture network.
At an event hosted by Swampy’s coalition on Friday, Smith said she wants Indigenous communities to have equity in major resource projects — and that her government could partner with nations to help alleviate poverty. To achieve that, Smith said Indigenous communities must have their own revenues.
“They don’t have to wait on Ottawa to give them a new transfer, or Ottawa to sign a new agreement. They are empowered . . . to make these changes themselves,” Smith said at Friday’s event. She wants to identify ways the province can “bridge the gap” with Indigenous communities.
“We will not only be their partner; we will also be their champion and advocate,” she said.
Communities must have a seat at the board, says Swampy
Swampy said any partnership the province has with First Nations must go beyond providing them with an ownership stake in infrastructure, which he said doesn’t create many jobs. He said communities must also have a seat at the board of directors overseeing the project.
“We can’t influence employment and contracting opportunities if we don’t have a seat on the board,” he said. “We can’t protect the environment as much as we’d like to unless we have a seat on the board.”
He argued the only way for Indigenous communities to participate fully is to have this kind of ownership in communities and regions where major projects operate.
“This is a prime time, because we’ve got a lot of rights, we’ve got a lot of opportunities, and we’ve got to take advantage of it.”
swilhelm@postmedia.com