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Chief Mi’sel Joe of the Miawpukek First Nation has a imaginative and prescient for exports to Europe of LNG from Newfoundland and Labrador, even when Prime Minister Trudeau doesn’t.
The PM declared a 12 months in the past that there has “by no means been a robust enterprise case” for LNG exports from Canada’s East Coast to Europe; he proposed that, as an alternative, Canada ship pure gasoline to the U.S. so the Individuals can flip it into LNG and promote it to Europe.
Chief Joe: “Effectively, I feel that’s a bunch of crap. We now have to work on that one. We have to come along with some actually good plan to make a presentation to the federal government.”
Trudeau’s lack of enthusiasm was delivered throughout a 2022 go to to Canada by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz got here on the lookout for LNG from Canada so Germany may scale back its dependence on Russian gasoline, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Now Germany is coping with Qatar and different LNG suppliers.
Chief Joe now’s pursuing direct discussions by his Nation with the German chief.
“We thought or not it’s higher to have direct nation-to-nation contact with Germany. We plan to fulfill with the chancellor to speak in regards to the points we’ve got right here, and possibly discover funding that we will use.
“The plan that we’ve got, which can materialize, I hope, is that we’d go to Germany someday subsequent spring, or earlier. We’ve been speaking with German officers, simply to verify we’re staying within the recreation.”
The Miawpukek First Nation has a 5% fairness stake (“and we’ve got an choice to go greater”) in LNG Newfoundland and Labrador Ltd., which proposes a $5.5-billion natural-gas liquefaction facility and marine export terminal at Arnold’s Cove, Placentia Bay, NL.
It might course of gasoline that will come from the offshore Jean d’Arc Basin, south and east of St. John’s NL.
The Atlantic basin has 5 working oil wells, however appreciable pure gasoline stays to be tapped. LNG Newfoundland and Labrador would deliver it to Arnold’s Cove by under-sea pipeline.
The corporate says its onshore plant could be powered with renewable hydroelectric vitality. And “LNG NL’s liquefaction CO2 emissions can even be the bottom on the planet.”
Chief Joe says of the challenge: “Proper now, it’s gradual going. Lack of funding, primarily. LNG can work right here, given the proper of funding. The drive is right here to do it. The initiative is there. Proper now, it’s missing funding.”
His Nation (somewhat over 800 members on reserve and 22 off reserve) additionally has different irons within the hearth.
For one, it has Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Providers, which advanced from Miawpukek seafarers working with the fleet of vessels and companies of Horizon Maritime, which operates in Canada and Norway.
“We now have offshore vessels and we’re closest to the offshore fields. We have a look at that as a optimistic for us. And in case you’re delivery out of Newfoundland, our territory is a perfect place to ship from, to locations in Europe and different locations world wide.”
As nicely, the Nation’s curiosity in maritime companies may result in the acquisition of latest vessels, jobs for seafarers to work these vessels, and income coming again to the south-coast group.
“Proper now, we’ve got 100% employment, but it surely takes quite a bit to take care of that 100%. So any income that comes again would even be paying for the upkeep of this group.”
And now the Miawpukek Nation additionally has simply signed an settlement with Marathon Gold’s Valentine Gold Venture in central Newfoundland and Labrador. It plans to be the biggest gold mine in Atlantic Canada.
“We signed an settlement, to verify we play a job within the environmental points that encompass that.” The Nation can even obtain some employment. “We even have choices to getting concerned when it comes to development.”
The Miawpukek Nation is a member of the First Nations LNG Alliance.
“We’re on their lonesome right here in Newfoundland. We’re just one First Nation. We notice that there’s energy in numbers, particularly throughout the nation. With numbers, we’re hoping that we will make some larger floor. It’s fairly troublesome to make it from Newfoundland by ourselves.”
Chief Joe is hereditary Saqamaw and religious chief of his Nation, and is presently serving his 14th consecutive two-year time period as elected Administrative Chief. He’s additionally Newfoundland District Chief for the Mi’kmaq Grand Council.
In 2018, Chief Joe was awarded the Order of Canada for management in growing and enhancing the well-being and monetary vitality of Miawpukek Nation.
Chief Mi’sel Joe
(Posted right here 23 August 2023)
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