First Nations reject premier’s speedy shale gas timeline

By John Chilibeck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Daily Gleaner One of New Brunswick’s biggest Indigenous groups is throwing cold water on the idea of lifting the moratorium on shale gas development, arguing the Holt government has rushed ahead without proper consultations. The Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick, which represents six St. John River Valley communities, issued a news release on Thursday stating the Liberal government had prioritized its own timelines over “thoughtful consideration and genuine Wolastoqey involvement” on the controversial decision. At issue is whether the provincial government should lift the 12-year moratorium and allow companies to frack for gas again in southern New Brunswick, what the Wolastoqey and the Mi’kmaq consider their traditional territory. Fracking gas could create scores of jobs and millions of dollars in wealth, but…

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