LandKeepers News Archive
BC First Nations Stand United in Face of Oil Pipeline to West Coast
May 06 2009 | Media Releases
BC First Nations Stand United in Face of Oil Pipeline to West Coast
May 6, 2009 (TORONTO) – First Nations from BC are sending a strong message on the environmental cost of transporting oil from Alberta tar sands to the BC coast, at Enbridge Pipeline’s annual general meeting in Toronto.
Today in Toronto three First Nations delegates in traditional regalia demonstrated their unity against the Enbridge project with a “mixing of the waters” ceremony, in which they each poured clean water from their home rivers into a cedar box. The ceremony represents unity among the nations in protecting the rivers that are threatened by potential oil and condensate spills from the twin pipeline proposal.
“Enbridge’s plan will bring oil spills to our coast and to our inland salmon rivers,” said Alphonse Gagnon. “The fish, the animals, and our way of life will all be destroyed, likely forever. We are here today to tell Enbridge that we will never allow this to occur.”
The Enbridge plan involves two 1,170-kilometre pipelines from Alberta to Kitimat, BC, carrying tar sands oil and condensate, a petroleum product used to thin bitumen. At Kitimat, the oil would be loaded on tankers bound for international markets.
“Oil spills are a certainty – it’s just a matter of time. Even with current technology, the ability to clean up oil spills is nowhere near adequate,” said Gerald Amos. “The Exxon Valdez taught us that it’s a risk we should not be taking at all.”
The delegates secured proxy passes to attend the Enbridge AGM itself, where they were able to ask questions of the Enbridge board of directors. Enbridge has been asked to accept a shareholder proposal from EthicalFunds that would assess the benefits and risks of adopting a policy of free, prior and informed consent. First Nations in BC have been demanding consent for development on unceded lands at the provincial, national and international levels.
“Consultation as it stands now, only means more court cases and conflict,” said Tara Marsden of the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation. “We are asking the company to adopt a policy of consent for First Nations, to respect the fact that these lands have never been surrendered to the Crown.”
“Our constitutional title and rights to our traditional territory have never been relinquished. We will do whatever it takes to defend our lands and waters against this threat from Enbridge,” said Gagnon.
ForestEthics and Dogwood Initiative, two environmental organizations also working to stop the Enbridge pipeline, joined the First Nations delegation in Toronto.
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