"Enbridge in talks with Six Nations Men's Fire over Line 9"

The Six Nations Men's Fire is in talks with Enbridge to create an emergency management plan that would involve members of the Men's Fire responding to spills and monitoring pipeline safety and integrity digs.

Bill Monture, Men's Fire spokesperson, said about 13 members of the Men's Fire met with Enbridge officials at the Best Western in Brantford Monday to talk about spill safety regarding the company's plan to reverse the flow of oil in its Line 9B pipeline that runs through Haudenosaunee territory.

"There ain't no guarantee about the safety factor and what we're worried about is the environment and the land, air, and the water," said Monture. "This is serious stuff. We talked about having our own people taking care of an emergency response."

He said the Men's Fire, with the help of Brantford businessman Steve Charest and his partner Brian Porter, want to create their own pipeline emergency response team.

"They're trying to help us with the same idea," he said.

"There should be something in place down here for these young guys that want to learn that in case something does go wrong," said Monture.

He said during the meeting it seemed Enbridge was "playing their cards close to their chests."

"They don't want to share any information," he said. "Why doesn't Enbridge come to Six Nations or any indigenous community and say, 'let's create an emergency response team in case something like this happens?'" There's nothing. Who gave them the authority to go through our territories?"

He said there needs to be an emergency management team in place, manned by Six Nations people, in case of a spill.

"The people here in the community; they're the ones who know the layout of the land. They know the medicines it (an oil spill) could harm. They know how it could impact the environment. Our people know that."

He said future meetings are in the works with Enbridge.

"We'll probably invite the band (council) and the HDl," he said.

He told Enbridge officials at the meeting - which included senior aboriginal relations manager Sonia Fazari - that if the company didn't cooperate with the Men's Fire, they'd shut down the reversal project.

"I told them you need to start working with us and if you don't and something happens, you're gonna look pretty stupid because we offered our help and you didn't want it."

He also said, "Everybody's worried about shut downs. Where is everybody else and everyone who is signing these contracts and agreements with these oil companies? Where are they? It seems like our people don't give a shit about the environment anymore."

Monture said Men's Fire member Wilf Davey will be one of the people monitoring an integrity dig in the area expected within the next month, but he's not sure where or when that dig will take place.

"They want to know so they can report back to us. Enbridge agreed to do that. We've got one (integrity dig) coming up within the next month."

Monture said the Men's Fire told Enbridge, "If you don't want to work with us...we'll shut you down. Let's work together to make this as safe as possible."

Monture said he didn't encourage Enbridge to consult with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs' Council.

"I was under the assumption that HDI (Haudenosaunee Development Institute) did get consulting fees (from Enbridge)."

The HDI is the planning department of the HCCC. The HDI has not received any "fees" from Enbridge, says director Hazel Hill.

The HDI has requested that Enbridge allow their archaeological and environmental monitors on site during a natural gas project in Toronto that has nothing to do with Line 9.

Not only has the HDI not entered into any agreement with Enbridge on Line 9, the HDI sent a letter to the company in late August telling the energy giant that they will not support Enbridge's Line 9 project because of its failure to consult and "uphold the honour of the Crown."

"The HDI has not entered into any agreement with Enbridge," said HDI Director Hazel Hill. "Not on Line 9 nor on any other Enbridge project. We have continued to monitor both archaeology and environmentally on the GTA project in spite of not having an engagement agreement because it is our responsibility, regardless. We have to make sure that we are being good stewards to the land no matter what. To ignore the archaeology and environmental process just because the proponent is being difficult would make us negligent and would violate our own policy and understanding of how we relate to the land and creation."

Hill said nobody from the Men's Fire has spoken to anyone at the HDI about their emergency management plan.

"I haven't heard from anyone on the Men's Fire regarding this and I'm not sure what Mr. Charest or Mr. Porter would have to do with it, unless it butts up to another housing development they are looking to proceed with," she said. "As far as Enbridge, and every other developer for that matter, when they think they can get around the Haudenosaunee process (which is through HDI) then they will do so. Perhaps Porter and Charest are the ones helping Enbridge bypass the Confederacy; after all, it's what they did for the Erie and Birkett development project."

Charest partnered with a housing developer to build a large subdivision currently under construction at Erie and Birkett Lane in Brantford.

Hill said it's "unfortunate" that rumours have circulated purporting that HDI has inked a deal with Enbridge.

"It's unfortunate that rather than believe gossip, our people don't bother to ask," she said. "I believe it's the (Six Nations) band council that has an agreement with Enbridge, or at least I know they have been meeting."

"We do not support their proposed project," she said of the Line 9 reversal. Graham White, Enbridge spokesperson, said the meeting with the Men's Fire was not considered consultation.

"We have met with many groups in the region, including representatives of the Confederacy Council and will always make the effort to continue to do so when requested," he said. "We do not consider this the fulfillment of consultation requirements."

He also says integrity digs are complete but there could be future digs if environmental regulators determine more are needed. "Future digs will be determined and scheduled according to ongoing inspection and monitoring, or as directed by the regulator. We will continue to work with the Six Nations on mitigation and accommodation in regards to our network, projects and operations and would look forward to negotiating productive solutions to any arising issues that would allow us to continue to provide these essential services while maintaining the infrastructure to the highest standards of safety and integrity."

Steve Charest did not return calls requesting comment.