[Indigsol] Fwd: This is unacceptable

[Ben Powless]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: First Peoples Human Rights Coalition <info at firstpeoplesrights.org>
Date: 2008/12/26
Subject: This is unacceptable
To: info at firstpeoplesrights.org


 *From the article below*: ""Gateway is a major project with significant
risks. Yet, the federal government is advancing a decision-making process
for Gateway without any provision for addressing aboriginal rights and
title. This is unacceptable."

_________________



canada.com

*WHERE PERSPECTIVES CONNECT*





*Haida Nation says it will reject Kitimat tanker traffic*



First Nations Summit wants independent review of pipeline project

At:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=9edaf494-5fcf-4b1d-93f0-12ad7fea5bc4&k=22981



*Prince Rupert Daily News*

*December 03, 2008*

* *

PRINCE RUPERT - The Council of the Haida Nation says it has not been
consulted about Enbridge Inc.'s plans to build an oil pipeline running from
Northern Alberta to Kitimat.

But CHN spokesman Robert Davis said the Haida Nation would never accept
Enbridge's plan even if it did consult.

"The Haida Nation will certainly not accept tanker traffic where we would
bear the burden of risk and oil spills in our waters. Our livelihoods would
be jeopardized," Davis said.

"Many of our neighbour nations are equally concerned about impacts on their
lands and water. We are willing to stand united to protect our waters."

Davis spoke after the First Nations Summit called for an independent
first-nations environmental review of the proposed $4-billion Northern
Gateway project.

The Haida Nation has said it will oppose any plan that would bring oil
tanker traffic to the North Coast area. There is already tanker traffic west
of Haida Gwaii, from Alaska to the western U.S.

But opening a pipeline to Kitimat would put oil tankers into the heart of
North Coast waters.

The First Nations Summit call followed a Nov. 6 gathering during which
representatives from six first nations shared concerns about the Gateway
pipeline and coastal tanker traffic. They agreed that current consultation
attempts by the federal government and Enbridge do not meet a standard of
genuine engagement with first nations.

"Regulators are not respecting the fact that we have a responsibility to
protect our ancestral territories, rights, title and interests," said David
de Wit, natural resources manager for the Wet'suwet'en First Nations.

"Gateway is a major project with significant risks. Yet, the federal
government is advancing a decision-making process for Gateway without any
provision for addressing aboriginal rights and title. This is unacceptable."

Enbridge planned an open house in Prince Rupert today to provide its side of
the story. It is anticipated that first nations bands will be invited to
become minority partners in the project.

The pipeline is to undergo a Joint Review Panel process beginning in early
2009. But that process does not take into account risks from coastal tanker
traffic and tar sands expansion that would follow pipeline construction,
critics say.

The FN Summit also says the review panel process was developed without
meaningful aboriginal consultation and that it is designed to grant
approvals irrespective of potential harm to first nations communities.

*(c) The Vancouver Sun 2008
Copyright (c) 2008 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks
Publications, Inc. <http://www.canwestglobal.com/>. *

*


***



-- 
"In life we meet extraordinary people who follow us wherever we may go" -
Trisha Nagpal
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