[R-G] First Nations demand oil sands moratorium

[Anthony Fenton]

First Nations demand oil sands moratorium
United chiefs call development unsustainable
Darcy Henton, Canwest News Service
August 18, 2008
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=00686d4c-24d9-417d-9dd1-714592491e7f

FORT CHIPEWYAN, Alta. - Aboriginal leaders have declared war on the  
oilsands, vowing to go to court to stop what they say is the  
destruction of their land and the poisoning of their water.

Chiefs from three provinces and the Northwest Territories made the  
joint declaration Sunday at the conclusion of a water conference in  
Fort Chipewyan, Alta.

They say the area is on the brink of catastrophe.

Athabasca Chipewyan Chief Allan Adam said aboriginal people cannot sit  
still and allow their land and water to be destroyed.

They want a moratorium on oilsands project approvals until government  
and industry can assess the damage caused by the developments and find  
ways to mitigate it, he said.

"Our message is plain and clear," he said Sunday to a standing  
ovation. "We have to slow down industry to let us catch up. ... If we  
continue to let industry and government behave the way they've been  
behaving the last 40 years, there will be no turnback because it will  
be the total destruction of the land."

There was much anger and frustration at the water conference, which  
drew about 200 people from aboriginal groups, environmental groups and  
political parties.

Residents believe leakage or spills from oilsands tailings ponds has  
polluted the Athabasca River and is poisoning their fish and their  
people.

Their former community physician reported a disproportionate number of  
rare cancers in the community of 1,200 on the northwest corner of Lake  
Athabasca, but the provincial government and Health Canada have  
resisted calls for baseline health tests.

Adam said that if the Chipewyan, Cree and Metis people of Fort Chip  
don't act now, the government will have to move the entire community  
in 50 years because there won't be anything left to sustain them.

"We'll be refugees in our own land," he said.

The chiefs approved a declaration to strengthen unity in their  
communities, work with other organizations and "initiate legal action  
to assert our rights."

"We believe the pace of development within our territories is  
unsustainable and we are deeply concerned that governments are  
permitting development to proceed without our consent," the resolution  
reads.

Mikisew Cree Chief Roxanne Marcel said her people are banding together  
with the Chipewyan to hold industry and government accountable.

"I think this will send a strong message to government," she said.  
"One First Nation is not a strong enough voice."

Adam said the local First Nations will try to negotiate a moratorium  
on oilsands development and if that doesn't work, it will launch court  
action alleging the government and industry has failed to consult with  
them as required by law.

Chiefs further North on the Slave River and Mackenzie River told the  
conference they are shocked to learn about the depth of pollution in  
the Athabasca region and ready to fight to prevent similar impacts on  
their waterways.