OTTAWA - B.C. aboriginal groups opposed to the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal have received almost $16 million in funding between 2008 and 2010 from Coast Opportunity Funds (COF), a group connected to foreign foundations that fund anti-oilsands projects.
Interveners, such as the Haida Nation, have been getting economic development assistance for aquaculture, tourism and other activities along with financing for conservation projects from COF.
But the money comes with strings attached.
Coast Funds' criteria preclude funding for "carbon-burning" energy projects and "activities associated with large scale extraction of subsurface resources" such as oil.
That's raising questions about who's calling the shots as aboriginal interveners line up at hearings to object to the pipeline that would connect Alberta's oilsands to a marine terminal in Kitimat, B.C.
"If any of those groups would take a position in favour of this pipeline they wouldn't be getting that money," said researcher Vivian Krause, who has uncovered $300 million dollars in funding from billionaire American foundations for Canadian opposition to oilsands development.
COF depends on financing from those foundations and from Tides Canada, which is partially American-funded and has a presence on COF's board of directors.
Guujaaw, president of the Council of the Haida Nation, denies outside influence on Haida opposition to Northern Gateway.
"You can check out the Coast Opportunity Funds and see that they're not involved in any kind of political position," said Guujaw. "We take (our position) based on our concern for the land, our relationship to the waters and we really don't have any money to address this monster coming down on us."
Guujaw also says he's more worried about the corporations involved in the oilsands than any foreign money that's used to fight the industry.
Coast Opportunity Funds did not respond to QMI Agency's requests for comment.
-- with files from McKenzie Lim
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