N.B. Wolastoqey chiefs skeptical of new Indigenous Affairs minister appointment

New Brunswick Wolastoqey chiefs are alleging that Premier Blaine Higgs’ choice for Indigenous Affairs minister shows a conflict of interest.

The previous minister, Arlene Dunn, resigned from cabinet last week. Higgs has since chosen Natural Resources Minister Mike Holland to take over the portfolio.

The move is being greeted with skepticism by the six Wolastoqey  chiefs.

“He’s welcomed a fox in the hen house,” said Sitansisk Chief Alan Polchies.

“We all know where Higgs is going with this in terms of natural resources. His vision is to have fracking in this province and hopes that the First Nations will side with them. But that’s not where we’re at.”

Polchies believes the move signals the government’s intention to continue their push to revive the province’s natural gas industry.

Higgs has been advocating for development in the sector for years, and renewed that call in his State of the Province address in January.

He pitched it as the centrepiece of his economic development vision, but did say development won’t take place without First Nations involvement.

“This could easily be (the) solution to our current affordability woes and the royalties would benefit every New Brunswicker,” Higgs said during his address on Jan. 25.

“So rather then take it out of your tax dollars, we’ll take it out of the ground, we’ll make a real opportunity for those royalty dollars to go into the people of this province’s pockets.”

1:56 New Brunswick’s state of the province address could be an unofficial kick-off to election season

There has been a moratorium on shale gas development since 2014. Lifting that moratorium requires several thresholds to be met, including involvement by the Indigenous community.

An exception to the moratorium was made in the Sussex, N.B., area in 2018, but no additional development has taken place.

Meanwhile, Holland says that while Indigenous leaders remain opposed, it would be irresponsible to not listen to potential pitches from the industry.

“We will continue right until the last day that we govern and say that in the event a proponent wants to develop natural gas, as a province, as a regulatory body we’ll take that call and see what we can do,” he said.

Chief Polchies says the Wolastoqey remain opposed.