VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Enbridge is comparing its proposed pipeline through northern BC to some of the great national projects of the past, such as the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The company is preparing to deliver its opening statement for the National Energy Board next week.

The statement on its website points out that the major national feats in Canadian history were achieved despite controversy, and eventually laid the foundation to provide benefits for generations of Canadians.

But SFU history professor Mark Leier says even the large endeavours of the past represented huge sacrifices and costs that don’t always get included in the story behind their successes.

The building of the railway, for example, took a toll on countless Chinese workers and led to the downfall of the federal government of the day.

“It is telling that Enbridge is trying to hook themselves up to these national myths because myths may be compelling and may evoke emotional responses, but they are not accurate and they are not the truth,” he says.

“But we don’t factor that in to the stories associated with the railway. We’ve gotten much better at factoring that in nowadays. Another thing too is that Canada has become much more democratic since 1867. Groups that were marginalized and silenced before now have voices.”