Feds drop appeal in oil and gas dispute; Ka’a’ Gee Tu First Nation vs. Government of Canada

A costly court battle has come to an end for a tiny native band in anoil-and-gas-rich part of the southern NWT. In February, Ottawa dropped an appeal of a Federal Court ruling that sided with the Ka’a’Gee Tu First Nation.

The band, located in Kakisa, NWT, had contested a federal government decision in 2005 to approve a project in an area known as the Cameron Hills, which the band considers a traditional hunting area. The project was proposed by Calgary-based oil and gas heavyweight Paramount Resources, and included drilling, testing and tie-in of up to 50 additional wells over a 10-year period. However, the KTFN applied for a judicial review of that decision arguing the Crown failed in its duty to consult with the band before approving the work. In July the Federal Court agreed with the KTFN.

But that decision resulted in an appeal by the federal government. Now that the appeal has been dropped, KTFN’s oil and gas advisor Allan Landry is happy the band won’t ring up future legal expenses over this issue. He estimates it cost the band close to $1-million, a total that includes not only legal costs, but money that was spent during the lengthy regulatory process.