Canadian Civil Society Delegation ends Tar Sands Lobbying-Busting Tour with High Hopes
Harper government’s anti-climate policy lobbying faces hurdles in Europe, finds civil society delegation
(Berlin, Germany/Ottawa) Delegates are wrapping up a four-country European lobbying tour that has presented a different side of the story in Canada on the tar sands. The tour, which started in Paris, headed to The Hague, London and Berlin, directly challenged Canadian and Alberta government and industry lobbying to undermine the European Union’s efforts to reduce transportation pollution through the Fuel Quality Directive. Click here to read the press release.
Text of letter above:
March 13, 2012
To My Sister Indigenous Nations,
I share with you today a message of strength, sovereignty, and the great importance of protecting that which is sacred. As you will read below, our corporate enemies have recently been transgressing on sovereign Oglala territory. These enemies are inextricably linked to the genocide which has been occurring on indigenous lands in Canada for decades. The trucks that violated our borders were water trucks bound for Canada. Tose same water trucks will be used to refine that same tar sands oil in Canada that TransCanada is plotting to force across our treaty lands, and the aboriginal territory of countless indigenous nations, through their proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
For the sake of Mother Earth and our future generations, we as Indigenous nations - as the true land owners - must exercise our power as sovereign nations to prohibit these corporations from exploiting our roads, our lands, and our resources so that they can save a few dollars on their path to destruction. As I have said before, as individual Nations we are strong, but as Nations united for a common cause we are stronger. We must stand in solidarity with one another, for Mother Earth, our water, and generations to come.
In respect of Mother Earth and our Future Generations
Tom Poor Bear, Vice President, Oglala Lakota Nation
Canadian Lobby Busting Tour in Europe Challenges Government Oil Sands Advocacy Strategy
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(Paris/Ottawa) – Today kicks off a week-long tour of European capitals, led by a First Nation Chief and members of leading Canadian civil society organizations. The tour will urge European decision makers to stand up to Canadian government and industry lobbying against policies that will help Europe continue to be a leader in the fight against global climate change.
The tour is in Paris today, and will continue to The Hague, London and finish in Berlin on Monday, March 26th. The tour is in response to aggressive attempts by the Canadian and Albertan governments’ together with industry to undermine or kill the European Union’s efforts to reduce their transportation pollution through the Fuel Quality Directive. Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver reinforced Canada’s position that the Directive is discriminatory and non-science based in a meeting with a number... Read more.
RELEASE: Tar Sands: First Nations Reject Enbridge Pipeline Equity Offer - “Your Money is No Good To Us.”
For Immediate Release: Feb. 16, 2011
Prince George/Lheidli (BC) – Last night at a public meeting in Prince George, the five First Nations of the Yinka Dene Alliance told Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines President John Carruthers that they categorically reject the company’s revenue-sharing offer.
Tuesday night's rejection responds to the more detailed financial and job offer Enbridge set out last week. The decision is especially significant because the five Nations’ traditional territories cover approximately one quarter of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline route.
“Our Nations will not be turned. We won’t trade the safety of our rivers, lands and fish that are our lifeblood,” said Chief Jackie Thomas of Saik’uz. “Enbridge knows it can’t guarantee there will be no oil spills into our rivers. Their promises and their money are no good to us.”
In recent weeks Enbridge officials have attempted to minimize the importance of First Nations’ opposition to their project, suggesting that these communities are in the minority. Earlier in February, at a public meeting in Terrace, BC, Enbridge officials refused to answer when asked directly whether the company would comply with the decision of First Nations to reject their pipeline project.
Chief Thomas told Enbridge’s president: “Enbridge’s recent statements suggest to us that you hope to ignore the will of our Nations. Our Nations are becoming more and more frustrated at the lack of respect that’s shown for our laws, authority and rights. Because you claim to respect our legal rights, but push ahead despite our clearly saying no, you’ve made it more and more difficult for us to accept their word. It’s simple – if Enbridge respects our protocols and our laws, then it must abide by our decision.”
“Over 80 First Nations in BC have stated that they are totally opposed to Enbridge’s proposed pipelines,” said Chief Larry Nooski of Nadleh Whut’en. “People shouldn’t be fooled by Enbridge’s claim that we are in the minority. Nations along more than half of Enbridge’s proposed pipeline and tanker route have made clear that their project is against our laws. It will hurt us and hurt First Nations who live near the nightmare of the tar sands. This project is not going to happen and we’ll use all the means we have under our laws to fight it.”
Enbridge has made numerous statements to national and regional media lately about its plans to have First Nations borrow money in order to purchase a small fraction of the pipeline.
“Enbridge is talking a lot about doing deals, saying Nations should be proud about taking their money,” says Chief Thomas. “We’ve seen it before. History is full of bad deals – often made when Indigenous Nations felt they had no other choice. We have a choice and we won’t sign away our future, and the safety of our waters and lands, to Enbridge. Taking cash to compromise our kids’ futures is nothing to be proud of.”
The Yinka Dene Alliance includes Nadleh Whut’en, Nak’azdli, Takla Lake, Saik’uz, and Wet’suwet’en First Nations, and is a leader in the Save the Fraser Declaration, uniting Nations in the Fraser River watershed from the headwaters to the coast in banning the transportation of oil sands crude through their territories.
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Contact:
Geraldine Thomas-Flurer, Coordinator, Yinka Dene Alliance, 250-570-1482
Chief Larry Nooski, Nadleh Whut’en, 250-690-7211
Chief Jackie Thomas, Saik’uz, 250-567-8048
Native Americans to President Obama: Honor Your Word, Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline
November 6, 2011 - Washington DC: Thousands of citizens from both the United States and Canada representing every background circled the White House today and joined hands to protest the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Recently the US State Department signaled that they would not be meeting their self imposed year-end deadline of 2011 to deny or approve the permit of the Transcanada pipeline. President Barack Obama took responsibility for the final decision from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier this week. This came on the heels of the President being confronted at almost every stop across America over the controversial decision. Most recently Vice President of the Oglala Lakota Nation Tom Poorbear confronted President Obama in Denver at a University of Colorado campaign speech.
More on Keystone XL HERE
Tar Sands Video: