NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD Hearing Order OH-001-2014 Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC (Trans Mountain) Application for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project File OF-Fac-Oil-T260-2013-03 02 FINAL WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS OF THE INTERVENOR, UPPER NICOLA BAND JANUARY 12, 2016 _________________________________________________________________________________ MANDELL PINDER LLP 422 - 1080 Mainland Street Vancouver, BC V6B 2T4 Phone: 604.681.4146 Fax: 604.681.0959 Brenda Gaertner Crystal Reeves Michael Bissonnette Counsel for the Intervenor, Upper Nicola Band TABLE OF CONTENTS A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 4 B. THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ....................................................................................... 7 (1) NEBA.............................................................................................................................. 8 (2) CEAA .............................................................................................................................. 9 (3) The Hearing Order ...................................................................................................... 13 C. ABORIGINAL TITLE AND RIGHTS ...................................................................................... 16 (1) Section 35(1) ............................................................................................................... 16 (2) Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) .................................................................... 20 (3) Obligation to Consult and Accommodate ................................................................... 22 D. UPPER NICOLA AND THE SYILX NATION .......................................................................... 26 (1) Upper Nicola’s Area of Responsibility within Syilx Territory ...................................... 27 (2) Upper Nicola/Syilx Title and Rights ............................................................................. 30 (3) Upper Nicola’s Traditional Use and Occupancy of Upper Nicola/Syilx Territory ....... 34 (a) The Seasonal Round ....................................................................................... 38 (b) Fishing ............................................................................................................. 39 (c) Hunting ........................................................................................................... 40 (d) Gathering ........................................................................................................ 41 (e) Spiritual and Cultural Sites ............................................................................. 43 (f) Archaeological Sites ........................................................................................ 44 E. IDENTIFIED PROJECT IMPACTS AND EFFECTS ................................................................... 45 (1) Construction and Operations of the Pipeline and Associated Works ........................ 48 (a) Twinning an Aging Pipeline ............................................................................ 48 (b) Acid Rock Drainage ......................................................................................... 50 (c) Mountain Pine Beetle ..................................................................................... 52 (d) Erosion ............................................................................................................ 53 (e) Geo-hazard and Seismic Risk .......................................................................... 57 (f) Water .............................................................................................................. 58 (2) Loss of Access and Use of Upper Nicola/Syilx Territory ............................................. 60 (3) Accidents and Malfunctions ........................................................................................ 64 (a) The Severity of an Adverse Impact ................................................................. 66 (b) The Likelihood of an Accident or Malfunction Causing a Spill ....................... 75 (c) Gaps in the Assessment of Oil Spill Response ................................................ 84 (d) Potential Spill Clean Up and Damage Costs ................................................... 91 (4) Cumulative Effects ...................................................................................................... 97 (5) Outstanding Gaps in Trans Mountain’s Assessment of Project Impacts on Upper Nicola/Syilx Title and Rights ...................................................................................... 102 - 3 - F. NECESSITY OF THE PROJECT: PUBLIC INTEREST AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT ....................................................................................................................... 104 (1) Economic Feasibility of the Project ........................................................................... 105 (2) Respecting Upper Nicola/Syilx Title and Rights is in the Public Interest .................. 125 (a) The Case Law ................................................................................................ 125 (3) Recognition and Respect for Upper Nicola/Syilx Aboriginal Title and Rights is in the Public Interest ..................................................................................................... 128 G. UPPER NICOLA’S COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT CONDITIONS ........................................... 130 H. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 137 A. Introduction 1. Syilx people are Indigenous peoples who have lived within Syilx (Okanagan) Territory for thousands of years, stewarding the lands and waters according to their own laws and governance. Syilx have never ceded or surrendered their Territory nor their Aboriginal title, rights and interests within Syilx Territory. Syilx have consistently affirmed their title and rights to and within Syilx Territory, including through various representations to Crown governments since contact, through treaties and agreements with neighbouring First Nations, developed according to their own laws, and by continuing to govern and manage Syilx Territory according to their own laws, customs and traditions. 2. Upper Nicola Band (Upper Nicola) members are the contemporary descendants of Syilx people who settled in the northwest portion of Syilx Territory prior to 1846. Syilx peoples’ rights to use and occupy this portion of Syilx Territory were acknowledged in the Fish Lake Accord, a peace and friendship treaty between the Syilx and Secwepemc. 3. Upper Nicola, and other Syilx people, continue to use and occupy Syilx Territory and Upper Nicola, on behalf of the Syilx, govern and manage their Area of Responsibility within Syilx Territory according to Syilx laws, customs and traditions for the benefit of past, present and future generations of Syilx people. Upper Nicola must continue to rely on their Area of Responsibility to sustain their way of life. 4. Upper Nicola, and other Syilx people, are Aboriginal peoples as defined by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 19821 and as such, their rights, including their Aboriginal title rights, are recognized and affirmed. 5. In 1953, the original Trans Mountain pipeline (TMPL) was constructed through Syilx Territory without any consultation with Upper Nicola or any accommodation or compensation being provided to Upper Nicola or other members of Syilx for the impacts of 1 Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982 (U.K.), 1982, c. 11 (“Constitution Act, 1982”). - 5 - TMPL on their rights or interests. The impacts of TMPL on Upper Nicola/Syilx have still not been addressed to date. 6. Trans Mountain is now proposing to expand pipeline facilities under the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (“Project”), which would involve building and operating approximately 987 kilometres of new oil pipeline, as well as reactivating 193 kilometres of existing oil pipeline between Alberta and British Columbia. The Project also includes the construction of new pump stations along the pipeline route, as well as the construction of new oil storage tanks and tanker berths at the Westridge Marine Terminal. A significant portion of the Project’s pipeline (130 kilometers which is approximately 11%) is proposed to be constructed and operated in Syilx Territory within Upper Nicola Band’s Area of Responsibility. 7. Development within Syilx Territory continues to erode the land base upon which Syilx people can exercise traditional activities, and carry out their economic, cultural and spiritual practices.2 The Project, if it proceeds, will lead to further erosion of spaces for Upper Nicola and other Syilx peoples to carry out these practices, and will constitute an infringement upon Syilx title and rights. 8. Upper Nicola has actively and in good faith participated as intervenors in the National Energy Board (NEB or the Board) hearings in order to obtain necessary information about the Project and to inform the Board, Trans Mountain and the Crown, to the extent possible, about Upper Nicola’s concerns regarding the impacts of the Project upon Syilx title and rights and upon Syilx Territory. However, in the absence of Government to Government engagement with Syilx/Upper Nicola regarding the appropriate scope and process for the review of this Project, this process has been flawed. 9. Upper Nicola’s consent