By Bryan Eneas

Environment and Climate Change Canada details charges against Husky

Mar 27, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Specifics of the charges against Husky Energy by Environment and Climate Change Canada have been announced.

The federal government announced a total of nine charges against the company, who owned a pipeline near Maidstone which burst in July, 2016. Roughly 225,000 liters of blended heavy crude oil spilled into the North Saskatchewan River. The drinking water supplies for three cities along the river was affected by the spill, as was the James Smith Cree Nation to the southeast of Prince Albert. The new details follow a provincial announcement yesterday stating the energy company would be charged under the provincial Environmental Management and Protection Act.

A release issued by the federal government March 26 said Husky Energy now faces multiple charges under the Fisheries Act, one charge under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act and a charge Saskatchewan Environmental Management Protection Act.

Husky Energy is set to appear in a Lloydminster courtroom March 29 to answer the charges for the first time.

FSIN supportive

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The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations welcomed and supported the environmental charges against Husky.

“Our Inherent and Treaty Rights are tremendously vital to our First Nations culture and it’s all connected through the land,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in a statement. “Future generations will be impacted through the devastating loss of clean water, wildlife and medicinal herbs for generations to come.”

Cameron also called for compensation to be provided to all Indigenous communities affected by the spill, which would cover the immediate and long-term impacts and be determined by the community.

“While compensation is important, it is also critical that measures, including better monitoring and Indigenous inclusion, be put in place to prevent this from happening in the future,” FSIN Vice Chief Heather Bear said.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas