Tsleil-Waututh Nation v. Canada (National Energy Board)

Tsleil-Waututh Nation v. Canada (National Energy Board)
Court (s) Database
Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
Date
2016-09-06
Neutral citation
2016 FCA 219
File numbers
A-386-14
Decision Content
Date: 20160906
Docket: A-386-14
Citation: 2016 FCA 219
CORAM:
GAUTHIER J.A.
WEBB J.A.
GLEASON J.A.
BETWEEN:
TSLEIL-WAUTUTH NATION
Appellant
And
NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD,
TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE ULC, and
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA
Respondents
Heard at Vancouver, British Columbia, on October 27, 2015 and January 22, 2016.
Last written submissions filed June 17, 2016.
Judgment delivered at Ottawa, Ontario, on September 6, 2016.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY:
GAUTHIER J.A.
GLEASON J.A.
CONCURRED IN BY:
WEBB J.A.
Date: 20160906
Docket: A-386-14
Citation: 2016 FCA 219
CORAM:
GAUTHIER J.A.
WEBB J.A.
GLEASON J.A.
BETWEEN:
TSLEIL-WAUTUTH NATION
Appellant
And
NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD,
TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE ULC, and
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA
Respondents
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
GAUTHIER and GLEASON JJ.A.
[1] The Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) appeals from three interlocutory decisions of the National Energy Board (NEB) made pursuant to subsection 22(1) of the National Energy Board Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. N-7 (NEBA).
I. Overview [2] These three decisions were made in the context of the NEB’s review of an application filed by Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC (TM) for the construction of a project which, broadly speaking, consists of:
i) An extension of its existing TM pipeline system, which will include completing a twinning of the existing pipeline in Alberta and British Columbia with about 987 km of new buried pipeline as well as the reactivation of 193 km of existing pipeline;
ii) New and modified facilities including such installations as several pump stations; and
iii) Tanks and additional tanker loading facilities at the existing Westridge Marine Terminal (WMT) in British Columbia;
(together, the Project).
[3] The stated purpose of the Project is to enable Canadian producers to export oil (light and crude oil including diluted bitumen) from the WMT to foreign markets. Among other things, the Project, if completed, will result in increased marine shipping activities, particularly in the Burrard Inlet, raising the number of tanker calls from 5 per month to 34 per month, depending on market conditions.
[4] The Tsleil-Waututh are also known as the people of the Burrard Inlet. Their traditions and way of life are largely centered on the Inlet. About 500 Tsleil-Waututh live in the TWN primary community (Indian Reserve #3) on the North Shore of Eastern Burrard Inlet, only a few kilometres from the WMT.
[5] It is not disputed that the Crown owes the TWN a duty to consult in respect of the Project within the meaning of Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests), 2004 SCC 73, [2004] 3 S.C.R. 511. Indeed, it appears on the basis of its Preliminary Depth of Consultation assessment that the Crown concluded that the TWN was entitled to a high level of consultation in respect of the Project (Affidavit of Mark Youden dated January 21, 2016, Exhibit A, page 9).
[6] The NEBA requires that companies apply for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) before constructing or operating an inter-provincial pipeline, such as that involved in the Project. To this end, the NEB must, within the strict and short timeline set out in the NEBA, provide a report to the Minister of Natural Resources (Minister) for consideration by the Governor in Council (GIC). The NEB’s report must include a recommendation as to whether a CPCN should be issued to enable a project to proceed (subsection 52(1) of the NEBA).
[7] In addition, as the Project involves the construction of more than 40 kilometres of pipeline other than offshore pipelines, it is a “designated project” as defined in section 2 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (S.C. 2012, c. 19, s. 52) (CEAA 2012) and section 46 of the Regulations Designating Physical Activities, SOR/2012-147. Pursuant to subsection 52(3) of the NEBA, the NEB was therefore required to conduct an environmental assessment (EA) of the Project pursuant to the CEAA 2012. The NEB’s report submitted to the Minister under the NEBA must therefore also include the conclusions drawn from its assessment under the CEAA 2012 and its recommendations based on the factors set out in sections 5 and 19 of the CEAA 2012 (subsection 52(3) of NEBA; subsections 29(1) and 31(1) of CEAA 2012).
[8] The decisions under appeal (collectively, the Decisions) are all dated April 2, 2014. While the parties describe them somewhat differently in their respective original memoranda, the Decisions may be described as follows:
i) A determination that TM’s Project application is sufficiently complete to proceed to an assessment and a public hearing under the NEBA (Completeness Decision) (Appeal Book, Volume 1 at pages 16-18);
ii) A confirmation that the Project is a “designated project” that ought to be assessed under the CEAA 2012, and setting out the list of factors and scope of factors to be considered for the purpose of the EA (CEAA 2012 Decision) (Appeal Book, Volume 1 at pages 300-303); and
iii) An order detailing the steps and deadlines for the application assessment process, including the public hearing process (Hearing Order) (Appeal Book, Volume 1 at pages 31-49).
[9] On April 2, 2014, the NEB also ruled on 2118 applications filed by persons seeking participatory rights and granted intervener status to 400 applicants. This included the TWN (one of 73 Aboriginal Groups granted intervener status), various federal government departments, as well as other governmental authorities such as the City of Burnaby. This last decision is not on appeal before us.
[10] As can be seen from their mere descriptions, the Decisions were issued very early on in the application review process undertaken by the NEB. TM filed its Project application on December 16, 2013, a little over three months before the Decisions were issued.
[11] It is not disputed that the TWN has had the opportunity to use the NEB process to seek information from TM and various federal agencies involved. The TWN has also been able to file considerable evidence, including the final report of its own environmental assessment and its own expert reports. It has also had the opportunity to present traditional oral evidence and to make written and oral submissions in respect of all issues identified by the NEB, including the impact of the increased marine shipping that would result from the exportation of greater quantities of oil from the WMT once the Project was completed and Canadian producers used the new facilities.
[12] There is no evidence before us that the TWN filed any motion, or raised with the NEB, either orally or in writing at any time before April 2, 2014, any of the arguments it raises before us.
[13] As nobody sought a stay of the NEB proceedings, on May 20, 2016, and as scheduled in its last hearing order, the NEB issued its final 533-page report (the Report). The Report includes the NEB’s recommendation that the GIC approve the Project, subject to 157 conditions listed therein. The NEB found the Project to be in Canada’s public interest despite significant impacts of increased marine shipping resulting from the future exportation of oil from the WMT which could not wholly be mitigated.
[14] It is public knowledge that a three member panel has started another round of consultation on the Report. That round must be completed before the GIC makes its decision as to whether or not the NEB should issue a CPCN to TM or whether the NEB should be required to reconsider some issues under section 54 of the NEBA. It is expected that the GIC decision will be made sometime towards the end of December 2016.
[15] It also appears from the public record of this Court that, since May 20, 2016, at least seven applications for judicial review challenging the Report have been filed.
[16] This Court also very recently issued its decision in Gitxaala Nation v. Canada, 2016 FCA 187 [Northern Gateway], which, for the first time, deals extensively with the new statutory regime applicable to applications for a CPCN like the one filed for the Project. In Northern Gateway (at paragraphs 120 – 123), this Court indicated that the GIC is the only decision-maker tasked with approving an application for a project similar to the one before us.
[17] For a number of reasons, the hearing of the appeal before us occurred in stages and the matter was not taken under reserve until mid-June 2016. The manner in which this case proceeded was unusual. First, the parties sought and were afforded the opportunity to file additional memoranda when, during the course of the first hearing, the TWN changed its position as to the role of the NEB in respect of the Crown’s duty to consult, an issue at the core of its appeal. According to the TWN, this change in position was necessary because of recent case law of this Court such as Hamlet of Clyde River v. TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA (TGS), 2015 FCA 179, 474 N.R. 96 (August 17, 2015) [Clyde River] and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation v. Enbridge Pipelines Inc., 2015 FCA 222, [2016] 3 F.C.R. 96 (October 20, 2015) the latter of which deals with the impact of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. v. Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, 2010 SCC 43, [2010] 2 S.C.R. 650 [Carrier Sekani]. However, the TWN could not explain why it was not possible for it to give prior notice of this significant change of position before the hearing. Such prior notice could have avoided the delay that resulted from such a change.
[18] Secondly, by notice of motion filed the day before the second hearing scheduled on January 22, 2016, the Attorney General of Canada (AG) sought a three-month adjournment so it could reconsider its position as part of the newly elected government’s overall review of its position on Aboriginal law matters. The AG’s request was supported by the TWN, even though it was known by the parties that the NEB would issue its Report in May 2016 and that an adjournment would most likely prevent this Court from deciding this matter prior to the issuance of the Report. The motion for adjournment, although poorly timed, was granted by this Court (with costs to be dealt with at a later stage) so as to afford the requested opportunity to foster reconciliation between First Nations and the Crown. To minimize the inconvenience and waste of resources that flowed from the adjournment, the Court, on consent, completed the hearing of all issues on January 22, 2016, with the exception of those related to the AG’s position on the TWN’s duty to consult arguments and any subsequent reply by the TWN on this issue.
[19] On April 11, 2016, the TWN wrote to the Court to advise that TWN and federal government representatives had met twice and that it was agreed by the parties that the appeal should be decided on the basis of the materials filed and submissions made.
[20] However, the Report was issued on the heels of this correspondence. Because the Report contained information of likely relevance to some of the issues before us, the parties were given an opportunity to comment on its potential impact. They took up the offer to do so, and filed submissions on the impact of the Report on this appeal, with the last of their submissions being filed on June 17, 2016.
[21] For the reasons that follow, we are of the view that this appeal should be dismissed. This conclusion is without prejudice to the TWN’s right to raise all the issues it raised before us (with the exception of the allegation that the Decisions were final and that the NEB breached section 18 of CEAA 2012 before April 2, 2014) in subsequent proceedings that it might deem necessary to institute to contest the ultimate decision of the GIC in respect of the Project.
[22] All the provisions of the NEBA and the CEAA 2012 referred to herein are reproduced in Annex 1 of these Reasons.
II. Issues [23] When drafting reasons, one usually summarizes the relevant facts before enumerating the issues to be decided by the court. However, in this particular case, we find it useful to summarize the issues put to us before turning to an overview of the relevant factual context of the case. Setting things out in this order will help understand why the parties presented as relevant a number of facts that both pre-date and post-date April 2, 2014, i.e., the date of the Decisions under review.
[24] The TWN raises four issues before us. They can be set out as follows:
i) Does the NEB, when acting as a responsible authority under the CEAA 2012, have the authority and obligation to discharge the Crown’s duty to consult? We note that this involves the interpretation of the relevant statutory framework to confirm whether the CEAA 2012 delegated any procedural obligations in respect of the Crown’s duty to consult to the NEB. If so, did the Crown, through the NEB, breach its duty to consult prior to the issuance of the Decisions? If not, and in the alternative, is the NEB still required under the NEBA or CEAA 2012 to assess the adequacy of consultation prior to issuing the Decisions, such that it erred in law by failing to determine whether the Crown had breached its duty to consult prior to making the Decisions?
ii) Did the NEB breach its legal obligation to offer to consult and collaborate with the TWN as a “jurisdiction” within the meaning of section 18 of the CEAA 2012 prior to making the Decisions?
iii) Did the NEB breach its duty of fairness to the TWN as an intervener by failing to obtain its comments in respect of all the issues raised in the Decisions?
iv) Did the NEB err in law by failing to include marine shipping activities that will likely result from the export of oil from WMT in the designated project description so as to widen the scope of factors to be examined under the CEAA 2012 (as opposed to under the NEBA)?
[25] The AG and TM also raised, as preliminary issues, that the Court should refuse to deal with these questions at this stage because the TWN failed to put them directly to the NEB and it would thus be inappropriate for this Court to address them for the first time on appeal. They also submitted that it would be premature to comment on the adequacy of the Crown’s consultation in a vacuum at the inception stage of the NEB process, knowing that the TWN has had the ability to voice all its Project-related concerns to the NEB and to utilize the NEB process to obtain information from the Crown and TM.
[26] Lastly, the parties do not agree as to whether the issue relating to the inclusion of marine shipping activities as part of the designated project is a question of law (pure or extricable) or a question of mixed fact and law (see, for example, TM’s Memorandum of Fact and Law dated January 22, 2015 at para. 59). This is obviously important, considering the limits of our Court’s jurisdiction pursuant to section 22 of the NEBA, which provides for the review of questions of law or jurisdiction only. On this issue, the TWN argues that this Court is bound to deal with all questions before it since leave to appeal was granted on July 10, 2014 and the matter has thus been decided (res judicata).
[27] Although the NEB was a party to the proceedings, it made it clear that it would not take any position on any of the issues as it was engaged in the public hearing process when the parties appeared before us. It was agreed that its role would be limited to providing factual information about the process so far as deemed appropriate by the Court.
[28] Finally, the Court must deal with the costs of the appeal, of two motions (one for the above-discussed adjournment, the other to add materials to the record) and the costs related to the TWN’s change of position during the first hearing.
III. Chronology of Events as Described by the Parties [29] The first issues to be examined are the preliminary ones regarding the appropriateness of this Court’s considering this appeal at this stage based on the record before the Court. For reasons detailed below, we are of the view that the appeal should be dismissed based on our determination of the preliminary issues, without prejudice to the rights of the TWN to again raise these issues (other than the alleged finality of the Decisions and that the NEB breached section 18 of CEAA 2012 before April 2, 2014), if it wishes, at the appropriate time. This conclusion is largely a factual one that requires appreciation of the way in which matters transpired before the NEB as well as the overall context.
[30] The following chronology helps understand the extent to which each party sought to engage the others, but not all the reasons why they may, by contrast, have refrained from doing so. The chronology also highlights the ambiguities of this case as well as the fact that this Court has not had the benefit of a complete picture of the parties’ discussions and interactions regarding the extent of Aboriginal consultation undertaken to date relating to the Project. This picture remains incomplete despite the parties’ filing of some evidence on facts that occurred both before and after the Decisions were issued. The chronology may nonetheless offer a helpful aide to any eventual decision-maker that might be called upon to determine whether the Crown satisfactorily discharged its duty to consult in this case.
[31] From the outset, we note that the Court does not have complete details of when TM’s activities relating to the Project started. Although there is some reference to a tolling application in some correspondence, it is unclear how this relates to the matter before us. However, it appears from the Affidavit of Maximilian Nock dated May 21, 2014 that TM initiated attempts to consult with the TWN regarding the Project in the fall of 2011 (Appeal Book, Volume 3, Tab 6). It also appears from the record that the TWN has been represented by experienced legal counsel since the early days of the Project application, as a number of letters exchanged by the parties were copied to the TWN’s counsel throughout the NEB proceedings.
[32] The portion of the log recording TM’s attempts to communicate and meet with the TWN before us covers the period from the fall of 2011 up until September 30, 2013. During that time, there were at least 102 entries of calls and correspondence between the two parties. Indeed, there were probably more communications as some correspondence between the President of TM and the TWN is not recorded in the log. However, it appears that these numerous attempts by TM did not result in any meeting or in any TWN participation in any study or discussion organised by TM because the TWN refused to do so. This refusal is somewhat surprising considering that, according to the TWN’s own environmental Stewardship Policy, proponents were encouraged to contact the TWN as early as possible in respect of any project that may have an impact on the First Nation. The following exchange of correspondence sheds some light on why this is so.
[33] As early as October 31, 2011, the TWN declined an offer to meet with the President of TM, indicating that it had decided to oppose the Project. It is worth reproducing a portion of this letter:
Tsleil-Waututh will no longer participate bilaterally with you in any processes that may be styled at some point as “consultation” in respect of this proposed project. We will rely on our network of relationships with governments and regulators and our own efforts to keep ourselves informed and to participate in making the public and the stakeholders aware of the risks associated with the Kinder Morgan and Trans Mountain pipeline extension proposal.
(Reference to Kinder Morgan in any documents will be treated hereinafter as a reference to TM, given that Kinder Morgan is the parent company of TM.)
[34] Despite this, TM continued its efforts to engage with the TWN throughout the period covered by the log, as well as after, since there is evidence of communication of information from TM to the TWN later on.
[35] Of note is a letter from TM to the TWN dated March 21, 2012, requesting, among other things, when and how to trigger the TWN Stewardship Policy to begin consultation with the community (Appeal Book, Volume 4, Tab 6S). This is relevant in that this is the same policy that will be referred to later on in the discussion with respect to the TWN’s desire to be recognized as a “jurisdiction” pursuant to section 18 of the CEAA 2012.
[36] Sometime in August 2012, TM sent a cheque in the amount of $250.00 to initiate the Stewardship Policy application process of the TWN (See TWN letter of December 12, 2012 below).
[37] In a letter to TM dated December 12, 2012, the TWN returned TM’s $250 fee (Appeal Book, Volume 4, Tab 6T). In the letter returning the cheque, the TWN advised TM that the obligation to consult and to accommodate is the duty of the Crown unless there is an express delegation of procedural or operational obligations. In its view, there was no such delegation and such obligation could not be contracted or implicitly delegated to a third party. The TWN then explained that it viewed the NEB process as problematic, viz:
…The National Energy Board alleges that they cannot maintain quasi-judicial objectivity and engage with First Nations in a bilateral process of consultation. In their July 2008 publication “Consideration of Aboriginal Concerns in National Energy Board Decisions”, they state that they rely upon project proponents to carry out the Crown’s responsibility to share information, identify impacts and propose mitigation. This policy is totally inconsistent with what we understand is the obligation of the Crown and Crown agencies…
[38] The TWN confirmed that it had appealed to the Minister to establish an appropriate government to government consultation process and that without such a process it would not engage the Stewardship Policy for the proposed Project. Again, it reiterated the message conveyed in its previous letter of October 31, 2011 that it would not participate bilaterally with TM in any processes that may be styled as “consultation” and would “continue to seek a commitment from the Crown to either amend the NEB process or establish an appropriate government to government consultation process with [it] as in parallel process to the NEB to achieve meaningful and substantive consultation with respect to the potential adverse effects associated with the … pipeline expansion proposal” (Appeal Book, Volume 4, Tab 6T).
[39] The aforementioned appeal to the Minister refers to a letter from the TWN to the Minister dated November 5, 2012 (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4J). In this letter, the TWN complained about the fact that the NEB had not granted it intervener status in respect of a tolling application related to the Project and filed in February, 2011. After reiterating its view that the Crown could not delegate its responsibility for consultation to a project proponent and referring to the July 2008 publication from the NEB, the TWN noted that it could not be relegated to the status of stakeholder as opposed to a self-governing entity holding constitutionally protected rights and titles. The TWN added that if, as alleged, the NEB “cannot engage First Nations on a government to government basis and maintain its quasi-judicial objectivity, then it is incumbent upon [either the NEB or the Minister] to establish a parallel process that will ensure that direct input from First Nations is considered throughout the NEB decision-making process”.
[40] In his reply dated January 18, 2013, the Minister indicated that the NEB “is an independent and arms-length quasi-judicial regulator” and that it would thus be inappropriate for him to intervene with respect to its decision not to grant intervener status in relation to the tolling application (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4K). That said, the Minister strongly encouraged the TWN to participate in any opportunity to discuss the project with TM, which had launched a broad-based engagement process. As for the Crown’s duty to consult, the Minister stated that the Crown would rely, to the extent possible, on the NEB’s review of the TWN’s application in fulfilling any Crown duty to consult Aboriginal groups. Having noted that under the NEBA, the NEB is required to consider any issues and concerns raised by Aboriginal groups, the Minister noted that “the Crown would monitor the adequacy or sufficiency of Aboriginal consultation efforts throughout the [NEB]’s process” and “urge[d] [the TWN] to participate in any eventual facilities review process by providing information and by bringing concerns or unresolved issues to the attention of [TM] and the [NEB]”. Finally, the Minister noted that the NEB cannot engage in one-on-one discussions outside of its process, but that the NEB had taken steps to ensure that evidence of the impact that the proposed Project could have would be in hand, as it expects companies to engage in consultations as early as possible when planning a project.
[41] There is no evidence that any of this correspondence between the TWN and the Minister was provided to the NEB at any relevant time. At this stage, it is important to note that all correspondence received or sent by the NEB was posted on its website, for the knowledge of all parties concerned.
[42] On or about May 26-27, 2013, TM submitted a project description to the NEB for the proposed Project. On July 26, 2013, TWN representatives advised TM that the TWN would oppose the Project.
[43] On July 29, 2013, the NEB released a “List of Issues” that it would consider in the context of the public hearings concerning the anticipated project under the NEBA (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 5A). This list included “the potential environmental and socio-economic effects of marine shipping activities that would result from the proposed Project, including the potential effects of accidents or malfunctions that may occur”. On August 8, 2013, TM transmitted the said list to the TWN (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 6P).
[44] On August 12, 2013, the NEB wrote to the TWN in order to provide it with a summary of the proposed Project, a map of the proposed pipeline itinerary, information about participant funding, its process and where to find the details of TM’s consultation program, its outcome and proposed mitigation measures. The NEB also offered to respond to any question about its process by phone or at a meeting in the First Nation community. Appended to the NEB letter was a separate letter from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) providing information about the Crown consultation process. It advised Aboriginal communities concerned that the review process would be managed through the Government Major Project Management Office (MPMO) initiative. Among other things, it encouraged Aboriginal groups to communicate any Project-related concerns to TM and to subsequently convey any unresolved concerns to the NEB, either orally or in writing, in the context of the public hearing process. Again, it was noted that the Crown would rely on the NEB public hearing process, to the extent possible, to fulfill any duty to consult owed to Aboriginal groups for the proposed Project. It ended by advising that any question as to the overall Crown approach to consultation should be referred to the MPMO while questions pertaining to the NEB process should be directed to the staff of the NEB.
[45] It is apparent from the Report that the MPMO and the NEB staff held several meetings with First Nations who expressed an interest. There is little evidence about these meetings; nor is there any evidence that the TWN ever contacted the MPMO or the NEB staff before April 2, 2014 to ask any question about the consultation process of the Crown or about the NEB process under either the NEBA or CEAA 2012.
[46] On September 10, 2013, the NEB wrote to TM to provide it with additional filing requirements relating to the potential environmental and socio-economic effects of increased marine shipping, reiterating that although the increased marine shipping to and from the WMT was not part of the proposed Project, the NEB had determined, as indicated in its List of Issues, that the potential environmental and socio-economic effect of those marine shipping activities were relevant to the NEB’s consideration of the application under the NEBA.
[47] It is worth mentioning that, according to the NEB Filing Manual, all proponents of projects that involve an assessment by the NEB under the NEBA are required to start an in-depth consultation process much earlier than the filing of their application. In their consultation, proponents are required to consult with all federal, provincial, municipal and Aboriginal authorities as well as any other stakeholders and members of the public that may have concerns about the project. It is also to be noted that in its Filing Manual, the NEB states that all proponents must address all the issues set out in section 19 of CEAA 2012, regardless of whether or not the project is a “designated project” under that statute.
[48] On December 16, 2013, TM filed its application for the Project’s CPCN. Only parts of this application, which covers more than 15,000 pages, have been filed in the record before us. On December 20, 2013, the NEB updated the webpage on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry internet site (CEARIS) to indicate that the NEB had been designated as the responsible authority charged with conducting the EA of the designated project. The update also included a description of the Project as well as a section dealing with consultation and cooperation with other jurisdictions. It indicated that pursuant to section 18 of the CEAA 2012, a responsible authority must offer to consult and cooperate with respect to the EA of the designated project with any jurisdiction referred to in paragraphs (c) to (h) of the definition of “jurisdiction” in subsection 2(1) of the CEAA 2012, if that jurisdiction has powers, duties and functions in relation to the assessment of environmental effects of the designated project. More importantly, the NEB noted that should any stakeholder be of the opinion that it is such a jurisdiction and wish to be consulted under section 18, it should contact the NEB as soon as possible – and at the latest by January 31, 2014 – describing how it met the definition and outlining its relevant environmental assessment powers, duties and functions.
[49] On December 31, 2013 and after acknowledging receipt of the application, the NEB directed TM to solicit applications from stakeholders desiring to participate in the public hearing (Appeal Book, Volume 3, Tab 6D). The NEB directed TM not to solicit such applications before January 15 or after January 29. TM provided the TWN with such a notification on January 15, 2014.
[50] On January 31, 2014, the TWN wrote to the NEB stating that, in its opinion, it was a “jurisdiction” within the meaning of section 18 of CEAA 2012 and wished to be consulted. It noted, however, that such consultation and cooperation would not replace or supersede the Crown duty to consult directly with the TWN. As a basis for its opinion, the TWN referred to the following three documents which were not attached to its letter:
i. The TWN’s 2009 Stewardship Policy, which provides for TWN assessment of proposed projects in a defined consultation area. The Project is said to be located squarely within the consultation area (Appeal Book, Volume 4, Tab 7A);
ii. The Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management with the Government of Canada to which the TWN is a 2005 signatory, which confirms the TWN’s legal power to develop and implement an environmental assessment process (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4G); and
iii. The 2007 TWN Land Code adopted pursuant to the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4H).
The TWN letter did not indicate whether these documents were publicly available.
[51] On February 12, 2014, the TWN also filed an application to participate, requesting intervener status.
[52] On March 4, 2014, the NEB wrote to the TWN seeking clarification as to its letter of January 31, 2014, and more particularly, clarification as to whether the TWN sought any consultation or cooperation in addition to the rights it would be granted as intervener (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4P). The NEB outlined in its letter how an intervener participates in the NEB hearing and how an intervener would be able to test the applicant’s evidence through questioning, filing of evidence and the provision of final arguments. It noted that if the TWN wished for more consultation, it would have to provide details of what it was envisioning and details about its own environmental assessment process, including anticipated timelines. In its letter, the NEB also noted that:
[it was] currently determining the completeness of the project application. If the application is found to be complete, the Board will issue a Hearing Order providing details on the hearing process. The Board will also determine the list of participants, including the method of participation for each (i.e., commenter or intervenor), in due course.
[53] On March 5, 2014, the TWN wrote to the Minister (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4M) to explain why it felt that the Crown had a duty of consultation with respect to the Project and why the Crown’s position on consultation was legally deficient and failed to uphold the honour of the Crown. Among other things, it indicated that the duty included, in its view, consulting the TWN in designing the overall framework for consultation and environmental assessment of the Project, that is, upstream of the NEB role, and to accommodate its traditional laws and decision-making rights in doing so. The TWN added that this had not occurred to date. It noted that “the NEB cannot consult with TWN or delegate procedural aspects of the Crown’s duty to [TM] in relation to its facilities application because the NEBA does not empower the NEB to consult with Aboriginal peoples”. It noted that under the current statutory framework, the NEB could not design and implement a decision-making process which would accommodate the TWN’s governance rights and could not alter timelines which would accommodate decision-making in respect of TWN rights and interests. It further noted that, in its view, the timelines imposed by the NEBA and the CEAA 2012 did not provide sufficient time for the TWN to evaluate the Project and gather and provide traditional ecological knowledge and information as to its customs, practices and traditions nor was the time allowed sufficient to have a meaningful dialogue and participation. It added that the public hearing could not be a substitute for formal First Nations consultation. Direct engagement with First Nations, including with the TWN, was required.
[54] It is important to mention that in its March 5, 2014 letter, the TWN acknowledged that the NEB was in the process of making decisions about the definition of the Project, the scope of factors that were to be assessed under the CEAA 2012 and other key environmental assessment issues in the absence of consultation with the TWN.
[55] It is also worth noting that the TWN appears to have been opposed to the List of Issues issued in July, 2013, saying that the List excluded consideration of effects arising from upstream and downstream development, and that it was not consulted in this respect. It noted that this might prevent the NEB and subsequently the Crown from considering critical issues that would adversely impact the TWN’s rights and interests. Although a copy of this letter was sent to the Prime Minister of Canada and the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, the NEB was not apprised of these concerns by the TWN at any time relevant to this appeal.
[56] On April 2, 2014, the NEB issued the Decisions.
[57] On April 22, 2014, the TWN answered the NEB’s letter of March 4, 2014 that had requested details on what kind of consultation it would be expecting and sought details on the TWN’s own assessment process and timelines (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4Q). The April 22nd letter did not provide any detail regarding the TWN’s Stewardship Policy or the other two documents referred to in its January 31, 2014 letter. Nor did the TWN provide any timeline in respect of its own process. In fact, it would have been difficult for it to have provided any such timeline, given that, as noted earlier, in December 2012, the TWN had decided not to engage its Stewardship Policy and had refused TM’s request to start a formal evaluation process. (However, see paragraph 59 below regarding a subsequent change in position of the TWN).
[58] In its April 22nd letter, the TWN took the position that the NEB process or decision could not act as a substitute or replacement for its own assessment of the Project or the decision that it would ultimately make under its own Stewardship Policy. As section 18 of CEAA 2012 applied regardless of the TWN’s role as an intervener, it took the position that the NEB’s questions as to the TWN’s expectations in respect of consultation should be deferred until the jurisdictional issues “have been fully canvassed”. It then noted that the NEB had made three important decisions on April 2, 2014 without consulting or cooperating with the TWN, and asked “the NEB to change course and reverse [its] priorities” which appeared to be responding to a specific application instead of advancing jurisdictional cooperation. It noted that the NEB’s approach raised concerns that “it will now be more difficult for the NEB to cooperate with TWN to ensure that both jurisdictions, to the extent possible, take a coordinated approach to their respective environmental assessments” (Appeal Book, Volume 2, Tab 4Q). It also asked the NEB for transparency regarding its duty under section 18 of CEAA 2012 by requesting that the NEB disclose whom it had been dealing with as a jurisdiction and how it proposed to coordinate its assessment process with that of other jurisdictions, including the TWN.
[59] On April 30, 2014, the TWN wrote to TM asking it to reapply for an evaluation under the TWN Stewardship Policy. It noted that its request to the Crown that it establish a government to government consultation process had remained unanswered (see its letter of December 12, 2012), and that, since then, TM’s formal application had been filed and the Project would result in an EA under CEAA 2012 (referring to CEARIS website). It mentioned that the TWN anticipated that its letter to the NEB would result in a further discussion on a cooperative approach to assess the Project (referring, presumably, its letter of January 31, 2014). The TWN added that it was “surprised and disappointed with the many things decided on April 2, 2014 without any discussion with TWN”. It stated that, nevertheless, the TWN had determined that it was appropriate to conduct a technical review of the Project and its potential impact on the TWN, and thus invited TM to refile its $250 fee, noting that the process would require complete cost recovery for all TWN activities associated with its assessment. The TWN also stated that, given the continued absence of Crown involvement and an agreed-upon TWN-Crown consultation process, the Stewardship Policy assessment would be carried out without any Crown consultation and that no aspect of any interaction between the TWN and TM, including the letter dated April 30, 2014, constituted a Crown engagement or consultation in respect of the Project.
[60] On May 2, 2014, the TWN served and filed its application for leave to appeal the Decisions.
[61] On May 15, 2014, the NEB replied to the TWN’s April 22, 2014 letter (Appeal Book, Volume 3, Tab 6K). It indicated that only one other First Nation had