Ratcliff lawyer Matthew Kirchner on behalf of the Coldwater Indian Band brought a judicial review against Kinder Morgan’s plan to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline on Coldwater’s reserve.

He argued that the minister has to act on behalf of the best interest of the First Nation. “The purpose of the fiduciary obligation is to prevent exploitative bargaining, not to make paternalistic decisions that the minister thinks are good for Coldwater,” said Kirchner. “Coldwater has decided what’s good for Coldwater and has directed their fiduciary to act accordingly”.