N.B. Will ‘Fully Engage’ First Nations On Fracking: Minister

The Higgs government has come under fire in the legislature for their plan to allow fracking in the Sussex area.

Earlier this week, the province confirmed it had passed a regulation allowing for an exemption to the province-wide moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.

The moratorium was imposed by the previous Liberal government in 2014 under former leader Brian Gallant.

During question period Thursday, Liberal MLA Lisa Harris questioned why government has not yet consulted with First Nation communities.

“Did the [aboriginal affairs] minister even raise this issue of properly engaging First Nations with his colleagues? Did he not think the engagement should have happened before the rules were amended?” said Harris.

The chiefs of nine Mi’kmaq communities have said they were “blindsided” by the move as the province did not consult them.

Aboriginal affairs minister Jake Stewart said there was “nothing to talk about” until they passed regulations allowing for an exemption to the provincial moratorium.

“Now that we have the regulation in place, we will be fully engaging with First Nations because we have an honour to respect the Crown and we have a duty to consult and we’re going to be doing just that,” Stewart said.

Stewart also reiterated the province-wide moratorium is still in place — the regulation simply allows government to pursue the industry in one specific area.