Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Indigenous

Indigenous nations have protected the earth on their territories for thousands of years. With the government of Canada ignoring their sovereignty, nations not only see massive theft of resources that could help alleviate social problems, but their exacerbation through their further alienation from their own lands, often accompanying being overrun by development and southern workers, while having no self-determination during this process. In the south of Canada industrial farming displaced many nations with often genocidal results. In the north, a modern equivalent of that fate is only just beginning, wrought on by industrial oil and gas drilling schemes (among many industrial plans) that are condemning entire societies, languages and cultures to a precarious future, becoming minorities in their lands for the first time.

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Inuit Concerns Over Global Warming

Inuit across Canada's Arctic are worried about global warming
Friday, September 28, 2007 07:17AM
CBC Labrador

CINDY WALL: Inuit across Canada's Arctic are worried about global warming but the effort to help solve the problem is giving them something else to worry about. Efforts to find alternative cleaner energy sources have driven up the price of uranium, the fuel used in nuclear reactors. Developers want to build new uranium mines on Inuit land in Labrador. As Reporter Paul Pigott reports, some people in Labrador wonder if they won't be trading off one problem for another.

Sask. Tar Sands being linked to McMurray by Highway

Highway work will link La Loche, Fort McMurray
The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, September 21, 2007

Construction has begun on the highway, currently known as Garson Lake Road, that will eventually connect La Loche to Fort McMurray -- increasing access for the remote northern Saskatchewan community to its booming Alberta neighbour.

The province hopes this step will boost economic opportunities and provide a better quality of life for people in northern communities.

Woodland Cree Suing to Halt Carmon Creek Project [Shell]

First Nation Challenges Alberta's Policy on Oil Sands Tenures and Development
Requests halt on approval of Shell's Carmon Creek Project

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Oct. 1, 2007) - In a historic application to the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, the Woodland Cree First Nation (WCFN) has filed legal action against the Alberta government today. The First Nation asserts the Alberta government is breaching its legal and constitutional duty to consult with First Nations on oil and gas tenures, and specifically those relating to oil sands development projects.

"Sovereignty tussles over Arctic territory threaten to impede oil and gas exploration"

[also called: How I learned to wave the flag? Maybe not...]

Polar politics
Sovereignty tussles over Arctic territory threaten to impede oil and gas exploration

Andrea W. Lorenz

This year marks the first International Polar Year since 1958. Far from being a vicarious adventure for wide-eyed audiences listening to crusty geologists talk about hair-raising encounters with polar bears, this event takes place amidst a growing number of potentially serious international disputes.

NEB Head calls Hearings into MGP "Success"

NEB head pleased with process
DAVID EBNER // October 1, 2007

CALGARY -- The epic regulatory review of the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline has been a success in terms of collecting and assessing the many views on the controversial project, according to the new chairman of the National Energy Board.

"I feel we've done a superb job listening to everybody, carefully," said Gaétan Caron, in his first formal interview. "We haven't cut any corners. We've taken into account all the views people have about the project and we will finish the task of hearing the evidence in October."

"Northern conservation could be paralyzed during Environment Canada review"

This is sadly one of those articles that cannot be published uncommented. The mad rush towards the north for Uranium, oil & gas, coal, Coalbed Methane, diamonds and more-- has already been basically handed to the federal government by those who have advanced much of the protected areas strategy.

"Prentice awaits input over aid for Mackenzie"

Prentice awaits input over aid for Mackenzie
'It's really in the hands of the proponents,' Industry Minister says
DAVID EBNER AND NORVAL SCOTT
September 22, 2007

BANFF AND CALGARY -- Imperial Oil Ltd. still hasn't restarted negotiations with Ottawa over potential federal aid for the beleaguered $16-billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline project.

"We are awaiting a response from industry," Jim Prentice, federal Industry Minister, said in an interview in Banff Thursday night before his first major speech in his new job.

"Why Ottawa must back pipeline"

Anytime Diane Francis starts her turgid prose, if you instinctively stay on the opposite side of whatever she is saying then you will probably be fairly safe. In this case, the rule holds. Ever more so, however, is a slight admission contained within the article: "There's enough already to produce one billion cubic feet per day and the pipeline needs 1.3 billion a day," why, pray tell, does the pipeline "need" 1 billion point three cubic feet a day?

Alaskan Business: Mackenzie Pipeline Back on Track!

Canada's Mackenzie Valley pipe project is finally back on track
By Tim Bradner // September 23, 2007
Alaska Journal of Commerce

The Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline in Canada's Northwest Territories may finally be on track after delays in regulatory proceedings, the territory's industry minister told an oil and gas symposium in Anchorage on Sept. 17.

As race for oil-rich Arctic heats up, Inuit stake their claim, too

As race for oil-rich Arctic heats up, Inuit stake their claim, too
Indigenous to the region, the Inuit want a 'meaningful voice' in the territory dispute.

By Colin Woodard | The Christian Science Monitor / from the September 25, 2007