Enbridge’s refusal to attend public forums raises questions about how the company would work with communities if its Northern Gateway pipeline were to go ahead, say concerned residents with the group Friends of Wild Salmon.

Enbridge spokesperson Michelle Perett recently informed the City of Terrace it would not attend open community forums.

“Communities deserve fair, balanced dialogue, not just one-sided public relations exercises,” said Pat Moss with Friends of Wild Salmon. “If this is how Enbridge’s people are going to behave in the assessment phase, what does it say about how they will treat our communities down the road?”

The groups say having a balanced forum is important because the information Enbridge is presenting to communities is at times inconsistent with that presented by independent third parties.

“The way Enbridge characterizes its project is heavily biased in favour of its own corporate goals. Our communities deserve to have this corporate message balanced with independent research and first-hand accounts,” said Moss.

“Enbridge needs to demonstrate a greater degree of integrity and respect for the people who live in this region,” said Julia Hill, a member of the Friends of Wild Salmon steering committee. “We live here, we know this area, and we will be the ones who have to live with the consequences of our development decisions.”

In a letter to the City of Terrace, Enbridge stated it would not attend the forums because they felt they would not be “a setting where productive communication and dialogue can take place.”

“Suggesting municipalities can’t host productive dialogues is ridiculous,” said Hill. “In our experience, the vast majority of people in our communities value civility and personal respect, and will ensure these are upheld in public forums. What is it that Enbridge is afraid of?”

The groups say they will work with municipalities to ensure community forums go ahead regardless of Enbridge’s attendance.