January 25, 2010 - BC Nature

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Jul 14, 2014 - In January 2014, BC Nature filed one of five lawsuits challenging the recommendation of the Joint Review
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BC Nature files lawsuit challenging Cabinet’s Decision approving Northern Gateway July 14, 2014 (North Vancouver, BC) — The Federation of BC Naturalists (BC Nature) filed a lawsuit today challenging the federal Cabinet’s decision to approve the Northern Gateway project. The lawsuit asks the Federal Court of Appeal for leave to commence an application declaring the Cabinet’s June 17, 2014 decision invalid. In January 2014, BC Nature filed one of five lawsuits challenging the recommendation of the Joint Review Panel (JRP) to Cabinet that the project should be allowed to proceed. That lawsuit, which is ongoing, was filed by BC Nature’s legal counsel, the Environmental Law Centre (ELC) at the University of Victoria. “In the lawsuit filed today, we argue that due to fundamental flaws in the JRP’s report, Cabinet was deprived of the legal authority to make a final decision on the pipeline,” said Chris Tollefson, ELC Executive Director and BC Nature’s lawyer. “Cabinet was also legally required to give reasons for its approval, which it utterly failed to do. For these and other reasons, Cabinet’s decision lacks a tenable legal foundation.” If the Federal Court of Appeal grants its approval, BC Nature will have five days to formally file its application for judicial review of the Cabinet decision. “BC Nature is one of British Columbia’s oldest conservation organizations. Yet in our long history, we have never before felt compelled to go to court to defend our mission and the work we do to protect wildlife across the province,” said Dr. Kees Visser, President of BC Nature. “But with this potentially catastrophic project, we had to take a stand.” Dr. Visser, who had a long career as an exploration geologist in the oil and gas sector in Canada and abroad, added: “BC Nature is confident in the merits of both of its lawsuits challenging the approval of this ill-conceived project and looks forward to presenting them at the Federal Court of Appeal.” -30-

BC Nature – 1620 Mt. Seymour Road, North Vancouver, BC V7G 2R9 Tel (604) 985-3057 ~ Fax (604) 985-3059 email: [email protected] - Web site – www.bcnature.ca

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS, CONTACT: Dr. Kees Visser, President BC Nature

Cornelis (Kees) Visser, President, BC Nature (604) 985-3057 [email protected] Rosemary Fox Conservation Chair, BC Nature (250) 847-5150 [email protected] Professor Chris Tollefson Executive Director, Environmental Law Centre Hakai Chair in Environmental Law and Sustainability University of Victoria, Faculty of Law Legal Counsel to BC Nature (250) 888-6074 [email protected] About BC Nature BC Nature is a provincial charitable organization whose motto is to “know nature and keep it worth knowing”. It aims to provide over 5,000 naturalists and 53 clubs in BC with a unified voice on conservation and environmental issues; and to foster an awareness, appreciation and understanding of the natural environment so that it may be wisely used and maintained for future generations. About the UVic Environmental Law Centre The Environmental Law Centre is a non-profit society that, in partnership with the UVic Faculty of Law, established and operates Canada’s first public interest environmental law clinic program. Through this program, the ELC provides legal representation and assistance to conservation and community organizations, and First Nations throughout BC. It also advocates on a wide range of environmental law reform issues.

BC Nature – 1620 Mt. Seymour Road, North Vancouver, BC V7G 2R9 Tel (604) 985-3057 ~ Fax (604) 985-3059 email: [email protected] - Web site – www.bcnature.ca