Part one of Ward’s interview with Chartrand largely dealt with the multi-billion dollar Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project.
The federal government bought the $4.5 billion pipeline project that, if built, will carry bitumen from Edmonton, Alta., to Burnaby, B.C.
The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project is a great opportunity, economically for Metis people said Chartrand in part one.
Chartrand recently applauded the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal to uphold the approval of the project.
According to Chartrand, Trans Mountain is a nation-building project.
“We believe that Trans Mountain pipeline is very important for this country,” he said.
In Manitoba, Enbridge’s Line 3 project was also important economically said Chartrand.
According to Chartrand, 220 Metis citizens worked on Line 3, earning more than $7-million dollars during construction and new Metis owned companies started up because of it all.
Chartrand believes there can be a balance between economic development and protecting the environment.
“You’re going to have people, environmentalists coming out who are not part of the Indigenous world because they have an agenda and they will disappear back into their urbanite communities and we’ll be left to fend for ourselves,” says Chartrand.
“To save our environment is going to cost money. It’s not going to come by quitting all economics, altogether and the environment is going to take care of itself.
“If they want to go to court and fight for yourselves, go ahead, do like we did, we waited 200 years to get to where we are so go and fight your Metis rights if you want to classify yourself Metis, but you’re not part of our Nation,” says Chartrand.
LMAO What was the Powley Case then? Why is APTN still shilling for this clown?