Cold Lake First Nations Challenge Pacific Link Pipeline’s National-Interest Status in Court

Cold Lake First Nations filed a judicial review request in Federal Court to contest Ottawa’s classification of the Pacific Link pipeline as a national-interest project, a move announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith under the Building Canada Act. The fast-track aims to complete reviews and consultations within a year so construction can begin next September. Chief Kelsey Jacko says the community was left out of the consultation despite being situated in the oilsands area.

In their filing, the First Nation’s lawyers argue the designation breaches Canadian law and the honour of the Crown, threatening Treaty No. 6-guaranteed ways of life. They seek an order to void the designation and compel the government to fulfill its duty to consult. The Assembly of First Nations has identified multiple red flags, suggesting the government is predetermining outcomes before meaningful engagement, while Carney has pledged that major projects will respect Canada’s obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.