Learn about the JRP process
Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline will be reviewed by a Joint Review Panel led by the National Energy Board and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.
The Joint Review Panel is a quasi-judicial process that will involve hearings in communities along the pipeline route and on the B.C. coast. It is similar to the review process that was conducted for the MacKenzie Valley Gas Project in the Northest Territories, however there are some key differences.
Some conservation organizations and concerned citizens have expressed that a full public inquiry, similar to the Berger Inquiry or Thompson Inquiry, should be conducted to determine whether the Enbridge proposal is in Canadians’ best interest. So far, there have been no indications such an inquiry will take place.
Who is on the panel?
The three members of the Joint Review Panel are:
Sheila Leggett (Panel chair)
Ms. Leggett is currently the Vice-Chair of the National Energy Board. She was a board member with the Natural Resources Conservation Board, which conducts hearings into resource development in Alberta. She was also a vice-president and senior consultant with an environmental consulting firm. She has chaired nine NEB regulatory panels, including the Emera Brunswick Pipeline Project. Ms. Leggett holds sciences degrees from McGill University and the University of Calgary. She lives in Calgary, Alberta.
Hans Matthews
Mr. Matthews is a professional geologist with 25 years in mining, minerals and resource management. He holds science degrees from the University of Western Ontario and Brock University. He has served as president of the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association for more than 18 years. He was also an advisor of Natural Resources with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Mr. Matthews also worked as an Aboriginal with both Rio Tinto and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Since 2007, he has been the manager of mineral exploration with Mohawk Garnet Inc., was a mine/project geologist for the Xstrata Nickel Mine in Falconbridge, Ontario, and was the Vice-President of Exploration with Arizona Explorations. Mr. Matthews is a member of the Wahnapitae First Nation. He lives in Ontario.
Kenneth Bateman
Mr. Bateman is an energy lawyer and former senior executive in the energy sector. Mr. Bateman has been involved in numerous pipeline hearings, such as the Brunswick Pipeline Project, Deep Panuke and Keystone XL. He chairs the NEB’s Regulatory Policy Committee. Prior to his NEB appointment, Mr. Bateman was the Vice-President of Legal Affairs for Enmax, an energy distribution, supply and service company. Mr. Bateman also has training in arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution. He holds a law degree from the University of Alberta and a business degree from the American Graduate School of International Management. Mr. Bateman lives in Calgary, Alberta.