This week, Calgary-based pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. announced a historic deal in the energy world — that it will be selling a $1.12 billion stake in seven pipelines, to Alberta indigenous groups..It’s tremendous news for Alberta, our indigenous communities and our energy industry this week. And more importantly, it represents genuine steps towards real reconciliation, as the largest indigenous economic partnership to take place in North America..We are always Alberta Proud of our best-in-the-world Alberta energy. But this week, our proud-to-be -Alberta stock rose a little higher. And it couldn’t be better timed with Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30..The agreement was signed between Enbridge and 23 First Nations and Metis communities for the 11.57% interest in the pipelines located in the Athabasca region in northern Alberta. These communities formed a limited partnership, Athabasca Indigenous Investments (Aii); according to Aii, this will bring in more than $10 million each year to its partnering communities..“In addition to an opportunity to generate wealth for our people, this investment supports economic sovereignty for our communities,” said Frog Lake Chief Bruce Desjarlais in a statement..Not only is this a fantastic advance for our energy industry, but also for these northern indigenous communities which want this resource revenue to help create more investment and more infrastructure into their communities. We can also hope this will translate into more jobs for the people living in these communities. And the fact it came from private sector industry, rather than government, is not lost on any of us at Alberta Proud..“Industry and indigenous communities working together is reconciliation,” said Melissa Mbarki on Twitter, an indigenous analyst in the energy sector..For too long, the Liberal government and their partners in the NDP played on cheap promises of reconciliation with our First Nations — this disrespect was exemplified a year ago when our selfie king, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, opted to spend the first Truth and Reconciliation Day surfing in Tofino, B.C. — and then lied about it. Instead of honouring our indigenous friends and family by attending events — of which he was invited to several — he caught some gnarly chop. Talk about disingenuous and out-of-touch..The truth is, when respectfully consulted and afforded a seat at the negotiations table, First Nations largely support resource partnerships and the energy industry in general — the largest source of high-paying employment for indigenous Canadians. The Liberals can talk reconciliation all they want, but our forward-thinking Alberta energy industry has turned words it into “reconcili-action” and we applaud them for it, as well as the Alberta government for their support of this historic event..“We believe this partnership exemplifies how Enbridge and indigenous communities can work together, not only in stewarding the environment, but also in owning and operating critical energy infrastructure,” said Al Monaco, Enbridge’s chief executive, in a recent press release..Partnerships for prosperity to help our indigenous friends, family, and neighbours carve out a better future for their children is exactly what Canadians want to see. Not insincere statements from eco-radical politicians trying to ban, block, and barricade our energy industry — the industry that will make life better for our First Nations..We applaud Enbridge and the 23 First Nations communities for this incredible opportunity to bring prosperity and opportunity to northern Alberta. We hope to see more of these sorts of indigenous partnerships coming down the pipeline.
