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101-568: The Beaver Lake Cree Nation is a First Nations band government located 105 kilometres (65 mi) northeast of Edmonton , Alberta , representing people of the Cree ethno-linguistic group in the area around Lac La Biche, Alberta , where the band office is currently located. Their treaty area is Treaty 6 . The Intergovernmental Affairs office consults with persons on the Government treaty contacts list. There are two parcels of land reserved for

202-865: A " conservative family reunion" hosted by Preston Manning in Ottawa, BC Premier Christy Clark stated that "we support pipelines in British Columbia" (referring to liquid natural gas) but that she was not yet convinced of the benefits of the Northern Gateway scheme. Following the Kalamazoo River oil spill on Enbridge Pipeline 6B in Michigan, the BC government stated five requirements to be addressed prior to supporting any heavy oil pipeline proposal: BC premier Christy Clark in 2012 boycotted

303-760: A "large portion of northeast Alberta", both "inside and outside" the Beaver Lake First Nation reserve, including the Cold Lake Weapons Range . Most of the grants were made by the province of Alberta but the federal government made 7 of these grants. The Lawyer for the BLCN, Mr. Mildon, explains that BLCN are seeking compensation for losing hunting and fishing rights for the "cumulative effects of oil sands and other industries such as mining and forestry violated their treaty rights, in "past and current projects". The Beaver Lake Cree are part of

404-644: A capacity of 525,000 barrels per day (83,500 m /d). The condensate pipeline would have had a diameter of 20 inches (510 mm) with a capacity of 193,000 barrels per day (30,700 m /d). In 2008 Enbridge expected these pipelines to be completed by 2015. The project, including a marine terminal in Kitimat, was expected to cost CA$ 7.9 billion . The Kitimat terminal would have comprised two tanker berth platforms , one serving very large crude carriers and another serving Suezmax -type condensate tankers. The terminal would have included oil and condensate tanks and

505-582: A chief councillor: this individual is not necessarily a hereditary chief or leader, though some are. Although the current policy of the Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) is to treat band governments as largely autonomous, under the Indian Act band council resolutions have no effect unless endorsed by the Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations . In addition to

606-572: A chiefs council may include bands that belong to one or more tribal councils and also individual bands that belong to none. For instance, the St'át'timc Chiefs Council serves as a common voice for all Stʼatʼimc and formally does not acknowledge Crown sovereignty. In other provinces, where treaties already exist, a treaty group or treaty association is composed of bands already signatory to existing treaties, such as Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 . There are also organized groups of Indian descent whose Indian status

707-617: A decline in real GDP, a decline in government revenues, an increase in inflation, an increase in interest rates and further appreciation of the Canadian dollar." There has been an informal moratorium on large tanker traffic in Dixon Entrance , Hecate Strait , and the Queen Charlotte Sound since 1972. Since then, the federal and provincial governments have commissioned periodic studies to reassess whether to lift

808-604: A dozen bands. CSFS was originally a part of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council but is now a separate organization. Its members include bands that are not members of CSTC. During treaty negotiations, such as those attempted by the BC provincial government in the form of the British Columbia Treaty Process , bands claims are coordinated and negotiated, if negotiated, by treaty councils. The composition of these may correspond to

909-532: A large portion of northeast Alberta and falling outside the boundaries of any Indigenous reserve including within its territory, the Cold Lake Weapons Range . The Beaver Lake Cree Nation are contesting the "cumulative effect" of these projects and developments on "core traditional territory". On 14 May 2008 the Beaver Lake Cree Nation (BLCN) issued a Statement of Claim against the governments of Alberta and Canada, claiming that "in failing to manage

1010-504: A legal action to: a) enforce recognition of their Constitutionally protected rights to hunt, trap and fish, and b) protect the ecological integrity of their territories. They alleged that development from the oil sands, forestry and the local municipal government infringes upon the First Nation's 1876 treaty rights to hunt, trap and fish Among other resources they foregrounded a native map as evidence. The Co-operative Group supported

1111-488: A legal dispute over this development on their Treaty lands. In 2008 they issued a declaration, asserting they are the legitimate caretakers of these lands (which includes part of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range and extends into Saskatchewan). This was followed by a 2012 lawsuit against the governments of Alberta and Canada, alleging that by allowing unfettered development without the band's permission,

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1212-592: A legal document, regarding the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Project The traditional lands of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation were on the historical voyageur route that linked the rich Athabaskan region to Hudson Bay. David Thompson and George Simpson used the fur-trade route via the Beaver River from the main Methye Portage route that reached the Athabasca River . David Thompson founded

1313-459: A national energy strategy among the Canadian premiers stating "until we see some progress in the discussions between British Columbia, Alberta and the federal government with respect to the Gateway pipeline through British Columbia, we will not be participating in the discussion of a national energy strategy." This was likely over concerns that BC would receive a $ 6.1 billion share of a project that

1414-479: A patchwork quilt, with wild land reduced to small pieces between roads, pipes and wires, threatening animals like woodland caribou that can't adapt to these intrusions. The Beaver Lake Cree Nation's opposition to oil and gas exploitation on their lands was prominently featured in the work of Naomi Klein . Klein's bestselling book, This Changes Everything and the Avi Lewis film of the same title both focus on

1515-589: A plant in Cold Lake oil sands was one of just two oil sands plants under construction in Alberta. The Cold Lake oil sands deposit, located near Cold Lake, Alberta , south of the Athabasca oil sands, and directly east of the capital Edmonton , was—as of 2010—one of the largest oil sands deposits in Alberta. The Province of Alberta owns 81 percent of mineral rights, including oil sands. Mineral rights owned by

1616-647: A politically active group with no legally recognized band government in Canada. Some of their members have federally recognized Indian tribal status (in the US) and ongoing land claims in British Columbia . In addition to tribal councils and special-purpose service organizations, bands may form larger organizations. The largest is the Assembly of First Nations , which represents the chiefs of over 600 bands throughout Canada. There are also some regional organizations. The Chief of

1717-555: A pump station. As an inter-provincial pipeline, the project required a public regulatory review process conducted by JRP. The JRP provided a joint environmental assessment and regulatory process that contributed to decision making. The first session of JRP was held on 10 January 2012, in Kitamaat Village , British Columbia. Other types of studies, such as socioeconomic assessments, were also necessary prior to project approval. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners operates

1818-777: A request with the National Energy Board to extend the sunset clause for the Northern Gateway Project. The sunset clause (NEB Condition No. 2) stipulated that construction had to begin before 31 December 2016. The planned project consisted of two parallel pipelines between an inland terminal at Bruderheim, Alberta, and a marine terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia , each with a length of 1,177 kilometres (731 mi). Crude oil produced from oil sands would have been transported from Bruderheim to Kitimat, while natural gas condensate would have moved in

1919-577: A reserve until 1911 when they were assigned land at Beaver Lake. Peayasis led his band of Lac La Biche in the 1885 Métis Resistance, also known as the North-West Rebellion . Like many other bands that participated in this rebellion, the Lac La Biche band was composed of individuals who had mixed ancestry but culturally identified as First Nations. However, the government suppressed the rebellion and consequently removed those who were in

2020-745: A single question on a shared-cost omnibus telephone survey, the same survey used in their political polling. Justason Market Intelligence released a poll in March 2012 that focused on the role of tankers in this pipeline proposal. The poll found 66% of B.C. residents opposed to Enbridge's proposal to transport oil through British Columbia's inside coastal waters, including 50% who registered strong disapproval. An April 2012 survey by Forum Research showed an increase in opposition among B.C. residents to 52% from 46% reported by Forum Research in January. In January, Forum polled 1,211 residents from across Canada; B.C.

2121-600: A trading post on Red Deers Lake now known as Lac La Biche in 1798-99 and overwintered there, entering copious notes in his diary on the Nahathaway (Cree), their customs, traditions and the Western Boreal forest including this passage, plenteous supply of white fish and beaver. On the region of the western forest land, at a fine Lake called the Red Deers Lake... at the head of the small streams which feed

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2222-618: Is Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami . The self-governing territory of Nunavut is inhabited primarily by Inuit. The status of the Métis remains unresolved but has been the subject of negotiations in the early 21st century, which has resulted in the Métis Nation Framework Agreement between various Métis organizations and Canada. These have been negotiated as recently as 2019, for instance, by the Métis Nation of Ontario ,

2323-461: Is Nîhithaw, or the Woodland Cree or Wood Cree and their linguistic group is Algonquian ( Cree ). Their population which includes 390 on reserve and 664 off-reserve, is 1,054 according to the Alberta government, as on 2012. Their land base by Reserve Beaver Lake is 131 6,145.3 (hectares) total 6,145.3. There is no chief and council at this time. Other elected representatives include Member of

2424-557: Is a division between those who live in the path of potential environmental harm, and those who live away from the area. The NDP had been seen as the heavy favourites, until shortly after they clarified their pipeline policy. Aboriginal groups' main concern was that the pipeline might spill and pollute the Fraser River. Many Aboriginal groups opposed the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal, though some others signed agreements supporting it. Enbridge and some Aboriginal groups disagreed on

2525-512: Is an exception as treaties in most of the province have not been completed. There the treaty councils have been formed in order to negotiate future treaty claims. Another emerging type of organization in British Columbia is the chiefs' council, such as the St'át'timc Chiefs Council . These councils unite bands that are not included in tribal councils with those that are in tribal councils. Bands also typically belong to one or more kinds of provincial council or similar organization. They also belong to

2626-571: Is not ready to handle a major oil spill from a tanker, in part because its emergency response plan is out of date". In December 2010, the federal House of Commons passed a non-binding motion to ban bulk oil tanker traffic in the Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. In November 2015, Prime Minister Trudeau's mandate letter to the Minister of Transport directed that the moratorium be formalized. The proposed pipeline

2727-636: Is not recognized by Canada. These are often the descendants of bands considered by Canada to have become extinct. Such groups have no official existence but may nonetheless have some degree of political organization. The Sinixt , who are now based mostly in Washington state as part of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation , but have a small group of representatives based at Vallican , BC, are an example. They are

2828-562: Is why Northern Gateway was seen not simply as a threat to the local fishery but as the possible undoing of all this intergenerational healing work. And therefore as another wave of colonial violence." The Dogwood Initiative , ForestEthics , the International League of Conservation Photographers, and Greenpeace Canada were some organizations that actively campaigned against the Enbridge pipeline proposal. The proposal

2929-749: The Chiefs of Ontario serve as the provincial-level organization; in Saskatchewan, the provincial-level grouping is the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations . From a constitutional point of view, not all indigenous people are First Nations people. In addition to Indians, the Constitution (section 35.2) recognizes two other indigenous groups: the Inuit and the Métis . The national Inuit organization

3030-563: The Hudson - James Bay country. Although the date of arrival of the Cree in the Lac la Biche region is unknown, archaeological evidence in the form of pre-contact pottery indicates that the Cree were in this region in the 1500s. A type of early Cree pottery known as Clearwater Lake Punctate is found regularly in forests in neighbouring Saskatchewan. The Clearwater Lake Punctate, believed to be ancestral to

3131-471: The Métis Nation—Saskatchewan , and the Métis Nation of Alberta . Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines were a planned-but-never-built project for a twin pipeline from Bruderheim , Alberta, to Kitimat , British Columbia. The project was active from the mid-2000s to 2016. The eastbound pipeline would have imported natural gas condensate , and

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3232-673: The terms of reference for the environmental and regulatory review of the Northern Gateway Pipelines. Enbridge Northern Gateway submitted its project application to the National Energy Board on 27 May 2010. The eight-volume regulatory application was assessed by a Joint Review Panel (JRP) established by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) and the National Energy Board (NEB). On 19 January 2011,

3333-683: The 1,150-kilometre-long (710 mi) Trans Mountain Pipeline System from Edmonton , Alberta, to terminals and refineries in central British Columbia, the Vancouver area and the Puget Sound region in Washington . In 2012 the company wanted to increase the pipeline's capacity by twelve times, up to 600,000 barrels per day (95,000 m /d). According to Kinder Morgan , expanding the existing pipeline would have been cheaper than Northern Gateway and avoided opposition as experienced by

3434-448: The 920-member band and their future generations. A report commissioned by Cenovus acknowledged that the Beaver Lake Cree Nation indicated that they practice Traditional Land Use (TLU) activities and that they possess Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). This report contains detailed maps describing sites where "[A]boriginal groups practice traditional trapping, hunting, fishing, berry picking and plant harvesting activities throughout

3535-679: The AFN is referred to as the National Chief . The AFN also has a Vice-Chief for each region. In British Columbia, the First Nations Summit represents 203 bands in the province that are engaged in treaty negotiations with Canada and British Columbia. An older organization, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs , represents the bands that reject the current British Columbia Treaty Process . Some bands belong to both. In Ontario,

3636-766: The Arctic Ocean via the Methy Portage (see map) provided a detailed account of the Kinisteneaux (Cree) in 1789. An Oblate mission was established at Lac la Biche in 1853 and missionaries "visited the Cree on the South shore of Beaver Lake as early as 1856". The Blue Quill's Indian Residential School (AB-2a) in Lac La Biche, which opened in 1862, was one of the first residential schools in Alberta. Chief Pee-Yas-See-Wah-We-Cha-Koot, also known as Pee-ay-sis , or Pee-ay-sees and Councillor, Pay-Pay-See-See-moo signed

3737-420: The BLCN's claims with regard to treaties, rights, pollution, and sustainability . A pivotal 1983 article entitled An Ecological Framework for Environmental Impact Assessment in Canada , provided the impetus for the increased use of cumulative effects assessments instead of conventional single-project Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)s that had been used since the 1970s. As expectations broadened in terms of

3838-521: The BLCN's efforts to press for ongoing treaty rights and to preserve their lands from tar sands development. Environmentalist David Suzuki explained that, BLCN lands cover an area the size of Switzerland and overlap the oil sands. The territory now yields 560,000 barrels of oil a day. Industry wants to raise that to 1.6 million. BLCN land already has 35,000 oil and gas sites, 21,700 kilometres of seismic lines, 4,028 kilometres of pipelines and 948 kilometres of road. Traditional territory has been carved into

3939-475: The Beaver Lake Cree Nation as part of its 'Toxic Fuels' campaign "against the alarming global trend of developing carbon-intensive unconventional fossil fuels such as tar sands", which ran from 2008 to 2012. The Co-operative Group became aware of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation concerns regarding oil sands development via the 2008 Kétuskéno Declaration. Colin Baines, Campaigns Manager at The Co-operative Group described

4040-492: The Beaver Lake Cree Nation legal action as "perhaps the best chance we have to stop tar sands expansion". Their involvement and campaigning boosted the national and international profile of the legal challenge. The Co-operative Group sponsored a trip by then-Chief Al Lameman and other senior members of Beaver Lake Cree Nation and their legal counsel to London to officially launch the 'Toxic Fuels' campaign in February 2009. A rally

4141-733: The Beaver River the southern branch of the Churchill River in October we erected a trading house and passed the winter. There was a competition between the Canadian traders of the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company . The Cree , one of the "largest tribes in Canada" was referred to by the early explorers and fur traders as Kristineaux , Kinisteneaux , Kiliston , Kree , Cris and various other names such as Nahathaway . Cree territory extended west from

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4242-401: The Canadian economy. Allan stated in the report that the project's success depended on continual yearly oil price increases, by about $ 3/barrel. She also stated that an increase in oil prices would have led to "a decrease in family purchasing power, higher prices for industries who use oil as an input into their production process, higher rates of unemployment in non-oil industry related sectors,

4343-608: The Cree people, is a ceramic container made during the late prehistoric period, dated to between 250 and 1100 years before present . There is one example in the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec that was found on, Whitefish Island on Amisk Lake, Saskatchewan in 1950s by Gina Sewap, of the local Cree First Nation. Its distinctive features include an encircling ring of exterior punctates which raise interior bosses, located just below an everted lip. The body of

4444-832: The Crown are managed by the Alberta Department of Energy on behalf of the citizens of the province. The remaining 19 percent of the mineral rights in the province are held by the Federal Government within Aboriginal reserves, by successors in title to the Hudson's Bay Company , by the railway companies and by the descendants of original homesteaders through rights granted by the Federal Government before 1887. These rights are referred to as "freehold rights". The federal and provincial government granted "roughly 300 projects with about 19,000 permits" in an area covering

4545-480: The Enbridge proposal. In their B.C.-wide telephone survey sponsored by Kennedy Stewart (New Democrat MP), opposition had grown to 42%, from 32% in an Ipsos-Reid online survey sponsored by Enbridge in December 2011. However, because their methodologies and context differed, the reported growth in opposition was difficult to substantiate. Ipsos-Reid conducted an online custom survey for Enbridge. Mustel Group included

4646-575: The Enbridge's project. As an alternative, some indigenous groups proposed Eagle Spirit Pipeline from northern Alberta to the Prince Rupert area on the BC coasts. Many indigenous people wanted the economic activity from construction and operation of pipelines to improve conditions of their members. Another project to export crude oil from western Canada was the XL expansion of TransCanada 's Keystone pipeline . which supplies heavy oil to refineries on

4747-561: The Gitxsan hereditary chiefs, in exchange for $ 7 million. However, this deal was quickly overturned following the closure of the Gitxsan Treaty Society Office by opponents of the deal. The Enbridge deal was subsequently rejected in writing by 45 Gitxsan chiefs, who claimed that the office had misrepresented the Gitxsan people. Only one chief in BC publicly supported the proposed pipeline, Chief Elmer Derrick. Derrick

4848-738: The Heiltsuk Nation in April 2012 for hearings into the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline proposal. "By some counts, a third of Bella Bella's 1,095 residents were on the street that day, one of the largest demonstrations in the community's history." Facing non-violent protest as part of the greeting at the airport, the JRP members suspended the hearings for a day and a half. While the hearings did resume, substantial time had been lost, meaning fewer people could present to

4949-407: The Hudson-James Bay region to the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and in Alberta, between the north banks of the North Saskatchewan River to Fort Chipewyan. This includes the Beaver, Athabaska and Peace River basins. It is noted in the department of Indian Affairs Annual Reports that Pee-ay-sis of the Lac La Biche band as far north as Great Slave Lake. Alexander Mackenzie who travelled from Montreal to

5050-523: The Inuit ( Reference Re Eskimos 1939) as well as to Métis and non-status Indians ( Daniels v. Canada 2013), but the relations of these groups with the federal government are not governed by the terms of the Indian Act . In Canada, the elected government of a First Nations band consists of a chief and councillors. Many bands, especially in British Columbia , control multiple Indian reserves , that is, multiple parcels of land. Although bands have considerable control over their reserve land, legally neither

5151-441: The JRP requested that Enbridge provide additional information on the design and risk assessment of the pipelines due to the difficult access and unique geographic location of the proposed project. On 17 June 2014 the Canadian government accepted the project's proposal. It set out 209 conditions, identified in 2013 by a Joint Review Panel, to be resolved during the next phase of the regulatory process. On 6 May 2016, Enbridge filed

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5252-420: The JRP than had planned. "As the young people of the community explained when they finally got the chance, their health and identity were inextricably bound up in their ability to follow in the footsteps of their forebears - fishing and paddling in the same waters, collecting kelp in the same tidal zones in the outer coastal islands, hunting in the same forests, and collecting medicines in the same meadows. Which

5353-467: The Legislative Assembly (Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills) Shayne Saskiw . Brian Jean was the Conservative MP for Fort McMurray—Athabasca , from 2004 until his resignation in 2014; the seat is now vacant. The colonial governments of Alberta and Canada authorized hundreds of projects or developments representing thousands of individual authorizations related to "oil and gas, forestry, mining and other activities" on Beaver Lake Cree Nation core lands, covering

5454-436: The Peayasis band at Lac La Biche . Peayasis was born to father Joseph Ladoucoeur dit Desjarlais and mother Josephte Suzette Cardinal He married Euphrosine Auger in 1844 and had ten children with her; in 1874, he married Marie Cardinal dit Fleury and had one daughter with her. Later in life, he moved to Battleford and died there in 1899. While Peayasis was responsible for signing his band to Treaty 6 in 1876, his band did not get

5555-546: The Species at Risk Act. It also supported international solidarity campaigning, for example sponsoring a youth exchange with UK student campaigning organization People & Planet in July 2011. UK-based companies like BP and Shell and UK investors are very active in the Athabasca oil sands . The Co-operative Asset Management, then part of the Co-operative Group, cited the Beaver Lake Cree Nation and "litigation brought by local communities, increasingly affected by pollution, deforestation and wildlife disturbance, claiming breaches of

5656-462: The UK as guest of honor for the launch of a major photographic exhibition on the oil sands called 'Tarnished Earth', in which the BLCN legal challenge featured. The Co-operative Group fund raised or donated over CA$ 400,000 to support the BLCN legal case. It also funded research into the impacts of oil sands development on the endangered woodland caribou and supported a successful First Nation legal action to force federal government to take action under

5757-449: The US Gulf Coast. And the Energy East pipeline would have transported oil to refineries in Montreal and the Atlantic provinces, which now import oil from the Bakken formation in Montana and North Dakota by railway, as well as from overseas by ship. However, project proponent TC Energy cancelled the pipeline in the face of political objections and concerns over economic viability. BC NDP leader Adrian Dix promised to pull B.C. out of

5858-441: The Union of BC Municipalities, environmentalists and oil sands opponents, among others, denounced the project because of the environmental, economic, social and cultural risks posed by the pipeline. Proponents argued that the pipeline would have provided Indigenous communities with equity ownership, employment, community trust and stewardship programs. The Federal Court of Appeal ultimately ruled that consultation with First Nations

5959-403: The West Coast of British Columbia should be maintained for the time being" In 2009, the Canadian government's position was that there is no moratorium on tanker traffic in the coast waters of British Columbia. However, on 7 December 2010, Canada's environmental watchdog (Scott Vaughan, commissioner of the environment and sustainable development) in a damning report stated "Canada's government

6060-406: The adhesion made to Treaty 6 at Fort Pitt on 9 September 1876, on behalf of the Beaver Lake Band No. 131. Through Treaty 6 the BLCN "were given reserve land and the right to hunt and fish in perpetuity on a much larger piece of territory, their traditional hunting grounds". The essence of the lawsuit is that approximately 17,000 approved oilsands projects will make hunting and fishing impossible for

6161-426: The administrative convenience of Canada, or by consensual alliances between such groups, some pre-dating the Indian Act . The functioning of a band is controlled by the Indian Act , the legislation that defines the position of status Indians . The band government is controlled by a chief councillor and council. The number of councillors is determined by the number of band members, with a minimum of two in addition to

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6262-427: The band by the Canadian Crown, Beaver Lake Indian Reserve No. 131 and Blue Quills First Nation Indian Reserve . The latter reserve is shared by six bands; Beaver Lake Cree Nations, Cold Lake First Nations , Frog Lake First Nation , Heart Lake First Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, Saddle Lake Cree Nation . A Métis Settlement profile prepared by the Government of Alberta notes that their self defined tribal affiliation

6363-430: The band itself nor its members hold aboriginal land title . Rather, the land is held in trust for the band by the Crown . The term band is historically related to the anthropological term band society , but as a legal and administrative unit the band need not correspond to a band in this sense. Some bands draw their members from two or more ethnic groups due to the disruption of traditional ways by colonization and/or

6464-417: The band. Non-status Indians , Métis , and Inuit are not part of the system of band governments and reserves. This is one of the major differences between their legal and social situation in relation to the federal government and that of First Nations governed by band councils. The courts have ruled that constitutional reference to "Indians" ( section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867 ) does apply to

6565-502: The chief and council system mandated by the Indian Act , some bands have a traditional system of government that retains considerable influence. In some cases the two systems have come to an accommodation, such as the Office of the Hereditary Chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en . In other cases the two are in conflict. Two or more bands may unite to form a tribal council . Tribal councils have no independent status; they draw their powers entirely from their member bands. What powers are delegated to

6666-402: The chief councillor. The Indian Act specifies procedures for the election of the chief councillor and council. Some bands make use of a policy provision (called 'custom election', which allows them to exempt themselves from these requirements in order to follow traditional procedures for the choice of leaders. This is a matter of controversy. Proponents argue that it allows First Nations to adapt

6767-441: The company to investigate the unique risks and liabilities associated with the project. Multiple public opinion surveys, sponsored by Enbridge, Ethical Oil and other oil interests, were conducted on the Northern Gateway pipeline. An Abacus Data survey released in January 2012 for Sun Media found that 38% of Canadians were in support of building the pipeline, while 29% were opposed. Another 33% said they neither support nor oppose

6868-530: The cost benefit analysis indicates that, taking into account all benefits and costs, including cost expectations from oil spills, there is a large and robust net social benefit associated with the project from a national Canadian perspective." A report put forth by economist and former Insurance Corporation of BC CEO, Robyn Allan , in early 2012, took assumptions of Wright Mansell Research Ltd's analysis into question – stating that this proposed pipeline could have actually hurt non-oil based sectors of

6969-465: The extent of this support and opposition. Several coalitions and alliances produced formal declarations unequivocally rejecting the intrusion of an oil pipeline on aboriginal lands. These included Yinka Dene Alliance , Heiltsuk Nation , Coastal First Nations, and Save the Fraser. The Wet'suwet'en First Nation opposed the pipeline, as well as many Dakelh First Nations including the Saik'uz First Nation . The Joint Review Panel travelled to

7070-418: The externally defined system to their traditions. Sometimes this means that 'hereditary' leaders become the chief councillor. Opponents argue that custom systems are frequently not traditional and that, traditional or not, they are unfair and undemocratic and have the effect of preserving the power of corrupt cliques. In many cases they exclude women and also exclude hereditary leaders. The term "Chief" refers to

7171-678: The federal review process if he was elected in the spring of 2013 (which he was not), while also hiring prominent constitutional lawyer Murray Rankin to consider a legal challenge on who had jurisdiction over pipelines. Rankin argued that British Columbia should withdraw from the federal government's pipelines review process and set up a made-in-B.C. environmental assessment. In an August 2012 NDP press conference Rankin argued that "a made-in-B.C. review would ensure that B.C.'s economic, social and environmental interests are fully addressed, that B.C.'s powers and responsibilities are properly exercised and that First Nations' interests are recognized within

7272-610: The governments had violated their treaty rights. The Band has received support in the case from UK-based coop The Co-operative , and the ENGO People & Planet . On 14 May 2008, the Beaver Lake Cree released the "Kétuskéno Declaration", "Kawîkiskeyihtâkwan ôma kîyânaw ohci Amiskosâkahikanihk ekanawâpamikoyahk ôhi askiya kâtâpasinahikâteki ôta askîwasinahikanink âhâniskâc ekîpepimâcihowâkehk". asserting their role as caretakers of their traditional territories and started

7373-469: The industry. The governments of Alberta and Canada authorized "300 projects or developments" representing 19,000 individual authorizations" related to "oil and gas, forestry, mining and other activities" on Beaver Lake Cree Nation core lands, covering a large portion of northeast Alberta and falling outside the boundaries of any Indigenous reserve including within its territory, the Cold Lake Weapons Range . Many environmentalists and activists have celebrated

7474-763: The local tribal council, such as the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council vs the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty Council. But in that particular case American tribal governments belong to the former tribal council but not to the treaty council. Others, such as the Maa-nulth Treaty Association or the Temexw Treaty Group , span different tribal councils and individual bands, covering more than one ethnic group. Another organization called

7575-515: The new process". In response Dix said "Within a week of taking office, we will serve the federal government with 30 days' notice to terminate the 2010 deal in which the Liberals signed away B.C.'s interests." This policy was blamed for the poor election result for the NDP in 2013. The NDP won nearly every coastal riding in the 2013 British Columbia general election - so it could be argued that there

7676-536: The opposite direction. Condensate would have been used as a diluent in oil refining to decrease the viscosity of heavy crude oil from oil sands, and to make it easier to transport by pipelines. About 520 kilometres (320 mi) of pipeline would have run in Alberta and 657 kilometres (408 mi) in British Columbia . The crude oil pipeline would have had a diameter of 36 inches (910 mm) and

7777-629: The overall cumulative environmental effects of development on core Traditional Territory", Alberta and Canada have "breached the solemn commitment" in the 9 September 1876 Treaty 6 , that the BLCN could "hunt, fish and trap in perpetuity". On 30 April 2013, in Lameman v Alberta, the Court of Appeal of Alberta dismissed Alberta and Canada's appeal of Honourable Madam Justice B.A. Browne's "historic, precedent-setting judgement, "in their entirety", issued in March 2012. The Cree expanded steadily westward from

7878-490: The overall cumulative environmental effects of development on core Traditional Territory", Alberta and Canada have "breached the solemn commitment" in the 9 September 1876 Treaty 6 , that the BLCN could "hunt, fish and trap in perpetuity". On 30 April 2013, in Lameman v Alberta, the Court of Appeal of Alberta dismissed Alberta and Canada's appeal of Honourable Madam Justice B.A. Browne's "historic, precedent-setting judgement, "in their entirety", issued in March 2012. In 1980,

7979-533: The pan-Canadian Assembly of First Nations (formerly called the Native Indian Brotherhood), chaired by a leader elected by the bands, each chief having one vote, rather than at-large by individual band members. Bands are, to an extent, the governing body for their Indian reserves . Many First Nations also have large off-reserve populations whom the band government also represents; it may also deal with non-members who live on reserve or work for

8080-471: The pipeline. Another survey conducted by Forum Research in mid-January 2012 found that the share of Canadians who opposed the pipeline had fallen to 43%, from 51% in a December survey. Support for the project remained stable (at 37%, up within margin of error from 35%). 20% were undecided (up from 15% in December). In British Columbia, a March 2012 survey by Mustel Group reported increased opposition to

8181-523: The pot is textured with cord or textile impressions. Pots of this variety are found over a wide area including parts of Eastern Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. Amisk (which means "beaver" in Cree) Lake was on the historic " voyageur highway" that led to the rich Athabaska region. Examples were also found on Black Fox Island on Lac La Biche, and on the shores of Wappau Lake . The BLCN included their history on their official webpage and in

8282-475: The project, concluded that the project "would be a catalyst for the generation of substantial and widely distributed economic stimulus for Canada and a significant contributor to sustaining Canadian growth and prosperity for many years into the future. While the benefits of greater flexibility, adaptability and opportunity for the Canadian petroleum sector, through market expansion and diversification, have not been quantified, they are also real and important. Further,

8383-490: The project. Upon taking office in 2015, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau banned oil tanker traffic on the north coast of British Columbia, effectively killing the project. On 29 November 2016 Trudeau officially rejected plans for the pipelines. The project was proposed in the mid-2000s and was postponed several times. It was announced in 2006. Enbridge signed a cooperation agreement with PetroChina in 2005 to ensure

8484-429: The proposed project's construction labour force to be aboriginal. In 2012, without naming individual bands, Enbridge said that 70% of the affected First Nations had signed onto the deal. However, no band whose land was being directly traversed by the pipeline had signed on. Enbridge offerings were expected to create more division amongst first nations, as was the case with Enbridge's announcement in 2011 of support by

8585-413: The rebellion from annuity lists. This contributed to some Lac La Biche members leaving treaty to pursue Métis Scrip. Other sources point to the government using scrip money as an incentive for Métis peoples to relinquish their status. The BLCN is situated in an area geologically rich with oil sands which attracted the early attentions of the industry. However, the nation has waged a defiant campaign against

8686-457: The region. The traditional lands from which these resources are drawn may also contain sites of historical, cultural and spiritual importance. Whitefish atihkamêk ᐊᑎᐦᑲᒣᐠ (CW) was the staff of life of the Wood Cree and they lived in areas of high whitefish availability, such as Lac la biche. Peayasis (also known as François Desjarlais, Piyêsîs, Payasis and Peeaysis, 1824–1899) was a chief of

8787-459: The scope of assessments, it became apparent that conventional single-project EIAs did not consider environmental degradation, resulting from cumulative effects. The Beaver Lake Cree Nation are contesting the "cumulative effect" of these projects and developments on "core traditional territory". On 14 May 2008 the Beaver Lake Cree Nation (BLCN) issued a Statement of Claim against the governments of Alberta and Canada, claiming that "in failing to manage

8888-672: The tanker moratorium. Each study has concluded that the risk of tanker spills is too high. In 2003–2004, the federal government initiated a three-part review process, including a scientific review by the Royal Society of Canada (the RSC report ), a First Nations engagement process (the Brooks Report ), and a public review process (the Priddle Panel ). The RSC report concluded that "the present restriction on tanker traffic along

8989-686: The treaty rights protecting their traditional livelihoods" in shareholder resolutions tabled at the 2010 AGMs of BP and Shell. The Co-operative Group in the United Kingdom is the world's largest consumer co-operative. The Co-operative Group worked with Drew Mildon, of Woodward and Company law firm out of Victoria as legal counsel for the BLCN. First Nations government Bands can be united into larger regional groupings called tribal councils . A treaty council, or treaty association, has additional meaning and historically in most provinces represents signatory bands of treaty areas. British Columbia

9090-401: The tribal council and which services are provided centrally by the tribal council varies according to the wishes of the member bands. In addition to tribal councils, bands may create joint organizations for particular purposes, such as providing social services or health care. For example, in the central interior of British Columbia, Carrier Sekani Family Services provides social services for

9191-488: The utilization of pipeline capacity. PetroChina agreed to buy about 200,000 barrels per day (32,000 m /d) transported through the pipeline. In 2007, however, PetroChina withdrew from the projects because of delays in starting the project. On 4 December 2009, Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) issued the Joint Review Panel Agreement and

9292-494: The westbound pipeline would have exported diluted bitumen from the Athabasca oil sands to a marine terminal in Kitimat for transportation to Asian markets via oil tankers . The project would have also included terminal facilities with "integrated marine infrastructure at tidewater to accommodate loading and unloading of oil and condensate tankers, and marine transportation of oil and condensate." The CA$ 7.9 billion project

9393-416: Was a smaller subsample of that national poll. In April, Forum polled 1,069 British Columbians. The B.C. sample size for the January poll was not provided. The issue of the pipeline was a subject of controversy between the governments of Alberta and British Columbia, starting in 2011 when the Alberta government under Premier Alison Redford began pressuring BC to support the pipeline. In an 8 March speech to

9494-469: Was also opposed by numerous non-governmental organizations, which cite previous spills, concerns over oil sands expansion, and associated risks in transportation. In June 2014 the Northern Gateway pipeline project was approved by the federal government, subject to 209 conditions. In 2015 the CBC questioned the silence concerning the Northern Gateway project and suggested that Enbridge might have quietly shelved

9595-484: Was criticized by several entities, including government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the BC NDP and independent sources, citing Enbridge's spotty history with pipeline installation, non-conformance to government regulations and numerous spills. The Pembina Institute published a report in 2010 saying that the pipeline would have adverse impacts on land, air, and water. Some of Enbridge's shareholders asked

9696-418: Was first proposed in the mid-2000s but was postponed several times. The project plan was developed by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian crude oil and liquids pipeline and storage company. When completed, the pipeline and terminal would have provided 104 permanent operating positions created within the company and 113 positions with the associated marine services. First Nations groups, many municipalities, including

9797-767: Was held outside of the Canadian Embassy in protest of tar sand expansion. This resulted in widespread media attention with major features in The Guardian , Financial Times In July 2009, a team from the BBC accompanied representatives of The Co-operative Group to Beaver Lake to document their visit. The resulting programme entitled 'Tar Wars' was shown in the UK and globally as part of the 'Our World' series. Their visit to Beaver Lake generated significant media coverage in Alberta. In September 2010, then-Chief Lameman returned to

9898-608: Was inadequate and overturned the approval. The proposal was heavily criticized by Indigenous peoples. Groups like the Yinka Dene Alliance organized to campaign against the project. In December 2010, 66 First Nations bands in British Columbia, including many along the proposed pipeline route, signed the Save the Fraser Declaration in opposition to the project, and 40 more signed since that time. The proposal

9999-525: Was opposed by Indigenous groups. Groups like the Yinka Dene Alliance were organized to campaign against the project. First Nations bands in British Columbia, including many along the proposed pipeline route, signed the Save-the-Fraser Declaration in opposition to the project. The Save-the-Fraser Declaration was signed by numerous indigenous tribes, declaring opposition to oil pipelines through First Nation traditional territories. It

10100-453: Was signed by more than 130 First Nations. In 2013 Enbridge offered a 10% equity stake in the $ 5.5 billion proposed project, over the following 30 years, to participating aboriginal groups. As well, Enbridge said it would put one per cent of Northern Gateway's pre-tax earnings into a trust, which was expected to generate $ 100 million over 30 years for non-Aboriginal as well as Aboriginal groups. The company said it expected roughly 15 per cent of

10201-831: Was the chief negotiator for the Gitxsan Treaty Society before its closure in 2011. Derrick was later dismissed as chief negotiator for the GTS. Several First Nations (including the Haisla, Gitga'at, Haida, Gitxaala, Wet'suwet'en, Nadleh Whut'en, Nak'azdli, and Takla Lake) publicly stated (via the Joint Review Panel or in the media) that neither the Crown nor the established assessment process for Enbridge's project had adequately met their duty to consult and accommodate, or respect their Aboriginal rights and title. Wright Mansell Research Ltd, in their analysis of

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