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Karen Ogen-Toews is the former Chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation and CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance. She was part of the Coastal GasLink pipeline negotiations beginning in 2013 in her capacity as Chief.

“The proponents were very inclusive and listened to our concerns,” she recalls. “We did our own due diligence to make sure that we received what we needed in every area that was important to us and generally made sure our bases were covered.”

As Chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, Ogen-Toews was responsible for setting the form and direction of community consultation.

“One of our requirements for negotiating the project was that our Hereditary Chiefs be taken on site visits to the proposed routes of the pipeline,” she says. “Together, we identified berry-picking sites, fishing sites and ceremonial sites that were to be left intact and not disturbed by pipeline construction.”

She also notes that any issues were dealt with at the band council and community levels, so that these issues wouldn’t be escalated through the consultation process.

As current Chief Councillor of the Haisla First Nation, Crystal Smith recalls the intricate negotiations that began in 2013 and helped to forge a positive relationship with LNG Canada. The Haisla has had engagements with both LNG Canada and Coastal GasLink and has signed agreements with each in support of both the facility and the pipeline. During that period, she was both a council member and executive assistant to Chief Councillor Ellis Ross.