Treaty Alliiance Working to Strengthen Opposition in First Nation Communities Along Pipeline Routes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TREATY ALLIANCE WORKING TO STRENGTHEN OPPOSITION IN FIRST NATION COMMUNITIES ALONG PIPELINE ROUTES

December 8, 2016, Gatineau, Algonquin Territory— Chiefs at the First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly said today the recent federal government approval of two tar sands pipelines sent shockwaves through their communities and the Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion - www.treatyalliance.org - is stepping up efforts to work with all Nations along the pipeline routes, including Nations in Alberta, so they too join forces in opposition.

“People assume when a First Nation signs a deal with a pipeline company that they actually want the pipeline. What we hear all the time is they felt they had no choice because the pipeline would pass through no matter what. But now we’re working with our brothers and sisters to show they have the power to keep pipelines off their land,” said Grand Chief Serge Simon, Mohawk Council of Kanesatake.

Also today, the Treaty Alliance welcomed more First Nations to the Alliance, including the communities of the host Nation of the special Chiefs Assembly: the Algonquin Nation. The Treaty Alliance now counts 120 First Nations and Tribes across Turtle Island (North America).

“We’re driving right off a climate cliff and instead of slamming on the breaks, all we see the governments doing is stepping on the gas with these pipeline approvals,” said Chief Bob Chamberlin, Vice-President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. “It’s more clear than ever that Indigenous Peoples, supported by our many allies, will have to take the lead in warding off disaster.”

Earlier this week, the Prime Minister spoke to First Nations about the disagreements over the Kinder Morgan approval, but he failed to mention the Indigenous fight against Line 3 in Manitoba, in partnership with Tribes in Minnesota. The Line 3 project has been described as a mere “replacement” project, but Enbridge is replacing an old line, which could transport only 390,000 barrels of conventional oil a day, with a brand new line which has much greater capacity (915,000 barrels per day of tar sands dilbit according to its application in Minnesota) and which follows a different route through Minnesota.

“With all due respect to the Prime Minister, he needs to understand that there is not only pipeline opposition in British Columbia,” said Regional Chief Kevin Hart, AFN Regional Chief, Manitoba. “Line 3 is not a replacement, but a major pipeline expansion and I promise you it’s not passing through Manitoba.”

The Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion bars the passage of proposed tar sands pipeline and rail projects, including their associated tanker traffic. Its signatories are working collectively to enforce the ban. The ban covers the following pipeline projects, which threaten our water and our coasts and which would fuel catastrophic climate change effects (through making further tar sands expansion possible): Kinder Morgan, Line 3, Keystone XL, Energy East and Northern Gateway, which our members stopped long ago.

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Regional Chief Kevin Hart
AFN Regional Chief, Manitoba

khart@afn.ca

Cell: 613-290-6283