By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Disagreements over a proposal to build a pipeline to the BC coast has ignited a debate over who has the right to speak on behalf of First Nations. After Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to advance a new bitumen pipeline to the Pacific coast, he met with Coastal First Nations (CFN) leaders in January. BC Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer jumped in on X(formerly Twitter) to label CFN “just an advocacy group,” like a brand name. Fulmer claimed it is funded by foreign anti-energy groups and said if he becomes premier he will ban any foreign-funded organizations that attempt to influence BC politics. The Coastal First Nations are an alliance of eight First Nationsand

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