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Skepticism over the credibility of the hearings emerged after reports by media outlet National Observer found that two of the panelists had met in private before the hearings with former Quebec premier Jean Charest, who was a lobbyist for TransCanada at the time.

The NEB initially denied the claims, but they were later verified.

“What I can say is that they carried out these meetings truly with the best intentions,” Kiley said.

Public hearings were postponed late last month in Montreal after protesters interrupted the proceedings, ultimately causing Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre to cancel his statements on the project. Coderre had long been calling for a postponement to the hearings, saying there was a “major perception problem” for the project.

TransCanada did not comment on the decision, saying instead that the process is wholly in the hands of the national regulator.

“As the developer of a project under review it’s not our job to cast judgment on or evaluate the process that the NEB is carrying out,” said Tim Duboyce, a spokesperson for TransCanada.

Earlier Friday, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr distanced himself from criticism over the NEB process, saying the arms-length body is ultimately responsible for clearing its image around the hearings.

He said there is plenty of time for the NEB to re-establish itself before a final decision will be made. “There are 21 months of hearings in front of us, followed by a period of government review,” said Carr.

Advocacy group Environmental Defence said in a statement the move did not go far enough to establish public trust, and that all major proposals for energy developments “must wait until the NEB is rebuilt in a credible manner.”

The Energy East pipeline would ship up to 1.1 million barrels per day of crude from oilfields in Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries in Quebec and New Brunswick.

Financial Post