NEB cancels 2 days of Energy East hearings in Montreal after 'violent disruption'

The National Energy Board hearings in Montreal on the proposed Energy East pipeline were cancelled onMonday after protesters stormed into the room, marking a difficult start to a process already subject to intense criticism in Quebec.

The second day ofhearings, scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed, but no newdate was given.

"This decision was made in light of a violent disruption in the hearing room this morning which threatened the security of everyone involved in the panel session," the NEB said in a statement.

The NEB said it will provide more details tomorrow.

The ruckus began before Montreal Mayor DenisCoderreaddressed the proceedings as the scheduled first speaker.

In the downtownconference room where the hearings were set to take place,one protesterran to the table where the commissioners were seated and almostknocked it over. Others held up a banner at the front of the room.

Police entered soon after to remove the protesters.

Coderrecancelled his appearance,calling the event a "circus."The Montreal mayor has been an outspoken critic of the proposed $15.7-billionpipeline.

• Parts ofTransCanadapipeline network may be weaker than expected

News of the cancellation reverberated across the country, with federal Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr telling an Edmonton business crowd he'sconcerned protesters were able to shut down today's hearing.

"Not everyone's going to agree. But everyone should have a right to express themselves,and that's a fundamental Canadian value," he said.

Three protesters were arrested, saidMontreal policeConst. Jean-PierreBrabant.

Twomen, aged 35 and 44,could face charges of obstruction and assault of a peace officer, while a 29-year-oldwoman could face a charge ofobstruction of a peace officer.

One of the men was detained andthe other two people were released on apromise to appear in court at a later date.

Duelling rallies

Outside, amid a heavypolice presence, about 200 peoplegathered outside the Centre Mont-Royal, where the hearings were scheduled,with many expressing support for the project and others opposingit.

A large contingent of Canadian Piping Trades Union Local 144 membersshowed up in support of theproject, and chanted, "we want to work."

Butit was countered by a chorus of"we want to drink water," byprotesters concerned about the project's potential impact on the environment.

"Leave the resources in the ground," said Emily Drysdale, aMontreal resident who was holding up a pipeline that said "no pipeline."

"It's the big multinational companies that are making money on the oil."

Coderre was to appearat the hearingsonbehalf of theMontreal Metropolitan Community, just days after he called for theirsuspensionafterlearning that NEB commissionersmet with former Quebec premier Jean Charest while he was workingfor TransCanada.

The NEB apologized, sayingit wasn't aware thatCharestwas working with the company at the time.

'This is not a time to take chances': Coderre

The protests came asRadio-Canada's investigativeprogramEnquterevealed the proposed pipeline networkfor Energy East comprises more than 1,000 fittings possibly made of substandard material.

"It's a matter of having answers,"Coderresaid, referring to both the Charest affair and the Radio-Canada investigation.

"This is not a time to take chances. There's too many problems."

Coderre has repeatedly raised concerns about whether the potential environmental risks outweighthe pipeline's possible economic benefits.

Three First Nations chiefs, among others, were alsoscheduled to speak at Monday's hearing.

They held a news conference instead.

"We all have one common thread and that's safeguarding our environment for future generations," said Grand Chief of Kanesatake Serge Simon.

He'sconcerned the pipeline would pass through the Ottawa River close to the Mohawkcommunity.

• Energy East: Kanesatake grand chief vows to pull out stops to fight pipeline

Protestors disrupt NEB hearing

8 years ago

Duration 1:10

A group of protesters enter the room where Energy East pipeline hearings were taking place in Montreal

TimDuboyce, a spokesman forTransCanada, said the company is eager to"begin the sessions in Montreal after five such productive sessions in New Brunswick and we will be ready when the sessions resume."

The NEB is scheduled tohear from an array of speakers, in support of and opposed to the pipeline, as partof itsprocess to decide whether to approve TransCanada's bid to build the4,500-kilometre pipeline that would transport crude oil from Alberta to Eastern Canada.

The hearings are also scheduled for several other cities, including Quebec City, before concluding in Kingston, Ont., inDecember.

The board must submit its report by March 2018 after which thefederal cabinet will have the final say on the project.

• ANALYSIS |NEBfights to restore legitimacy at Quebec hearings
• Energy East pipeline: What you need to know