According to a spy service, the purchase of a pipeline by the federal government is considered a "betrayal" by many opponents

OTTAWA – The Canadian spy agency believes that many members of the environmental and indigenous communities consider the Federal Government's purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline as treason and suggest that this could intensify opposition to the expansion of the project.

An badessment by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service reveals renewed indignation among the demonstrators and clearly shows the continued interest of the espionage service in anti-oil activism.

The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain a heavily censored copy of CSIS 'June brief, initially clbadified as top secret.

Advocates of civil liberties and the environment have questioned the reason for CSIS's interest, as the opposition to the pipeline project is peaceful.

Tahera Mufti, a spokesman for CSIS, said that the spy service pledged to abide by the current law prohibiting the investigation of lawful demonstrations and dissents.

"Although we can not publicly disclose our investigative interests, we can say that it is important for the service to ask important badytical questions about such issues, such as whether developments like that the purchase of a pipeline could lead to a disaster. threat to national security of Canada's critical infrastructure. "

Earlier this year, Kinder Morgan abandoned its twinning project of an existing pipeline that carries about 300,000 barrels of bitumen a day from Alberta to British Columbia. The federal government announced in late May that it would buy the pipeline and its components for $ 4.5 billion.

The government intends to fund and manage the construction of the second pipeline – which would bring the global bitumen flow to 890,000 barrels a day – and to try to find a buyer.

The SCRS brief describes resistance to the pipeline project as a "developing intelligence problem".

"Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal proponents of the project continue to highlight the growing threats to the planet resulting from climate change and the incompatibility of new oil and oil sands projects with Canada's commitment in 2015 in the context of climate change. the Paris Agreement on Climate, "says the brief. "At the same time, many members of the broader Aboriginal community consider that the federal government's purchase and the potential funding, construction and operation of an expanded bitumen pipeline are totally inconsistent with its attempts to reconcile the Crown and aboriginal peoples. "

The acquisition of the pipeline and the commitment to carry out the project are therefore "perceived as treason" by many members of both environmental and indigenous communities, according to CSIS.

"The Aboriginal opposition to the base remains strong. In response to this purchase, many Aboriginal and environmental organizations reaffirmed their commitment to prevent construction. "

The brief highlights the Alliance's Accord against Oil Sands Expansion, noting that more than 50 North American First Nations have signed to try to end the project. It also contains a May quote from the Canadian environmental organization Stand.earth that this decision will "haunt the Trudeau government".

The intelligence mission was completed just over two months before the Federal Court of Appeal canceled the government's approval of the pipeline because of inadequate consultation with Aboriginal groups and the government. lack of proper badessment of the effects of increased tanker traffic off British Columbia.

As a result of the court's decision, the federal government ordered the National Energy Board to rebadess the tanker issue and asked a former Supreme Court justice to oversee further consultations. with Aboriginal communities.

In its submission, CSIS notes that there was "no act of serious violence" resulting from peaceful protests and blockages at the Trans Mountain facilities in British Columbia, which resulted in a number of incidents. arrest of more than 200 people or at smaller events across the country.

However, the document includes a section titled "Violent Confrontations and Resource Development" which mentions past conflicts related to shale gas development in New Brunswick and a prominent pipeline in North Dakota.

Josh Paterson, Executive Director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, said that CSIS was very concerned about the surveillance of activists by the spy service.

In the information that has been published, there is no indication of a threat to national security or critical infrastructure, clandestine activities or violence related to the Trans Mountain Project, said Paterson.

"Some opponents of the pipeline were arrested at a protest for violating a court order, but that was the responsibility of the police and the courts. Everything went out in the open air. That should not be the same for our spy agency. "

Given the interest shown by security and police officers, CSIS's record is not surprising, said Tegan Hansen, spokesperson for Protect the Inlet, an Aboriginal-led initiative against the project. pipeline and tanker.

But she is curious as to why the espionage document refers to sabotage and violent physical confrontation.

"I'm not sure why they're trying to make that connection with violence," Hansen said. "I would be interested to know. But it is certainly not our intention to continue the violence ever. "

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