Court Ends Injection Allowed to Shale Gas Company against Protests

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The request of SWN Resources Canada to extend a court injunction preventing anyone from impeding its exploration activities in New Brunswick has been denied by Justice George Rideout, in a ruling issued on Monday afternoon, after hearing arguments in the Court of Queen’s Bench on Friday. Although no reason was explained in court, Rideout alleged that he would issue a written decision soon.

Soon before the ruling was announced, opponents of shale gas, including the most prominent Elsipogtog First Nation, were drumming and singing in the courtroom and hallway. Additionally, the building was filled with supporters of those arrested on Thursday during a protest that turned into a confrontation between RCMP and shale gas opponents in Rexton, N.B. Among those arrested, six were held in jail through the weekend for safety reasons and are now scheduled to have bail hearings before provincial court Judge Denis Lordon on Monday, though those hearings were delayed at the request of defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux. An estimated number of 40 protesters were arrested in Rexton on Thursday, when RCMP moved in on the campsite established by the protesters near Route 134 on Sept. 30.

The original injunction order issued on Oct. 3 allowed SWN Resources to carry on its exploration, though no action was taken by authorities to enforce the court order as negotiations were taking place between representatives of the provincial government, Elsipogtog, and the coalition of native and non-native protesters. Meanwhile, an extention to the injunction was authorized on Oct. 10, with an expiry date of Oct. 21.