This essay discusses the aboriginal protest against tar sand projects in Canada based on two academic journals written by McCreary and Balfour respectively. In this paper, I will focus on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project in Canada, which is mentioned and analyzed in both journals. Enbridge is a energy transport company that has proposed the Northern Gateway Project, which is a pipeline that connect Alberta and Pacific coast of British Columbia in order to transport bitumen extracted from the Alberta tar sands (McCreary 116). However, this pipeline need to cross more than 50 Aboriginal community territories for construction. The policy states that if a project will affect the Aboriginal traditional territories, proponents have to include
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Thus, the information of Aboriginal traditional land use, potential effects of the project, and plans for mitigation was explained in detail in Enbridge’s application. However, The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC), which is alliance of eight First Nations who oppose the pipeline to pass through their territories, refused to permit this project (McCreary 116). Due to the resistances, a Joint Review Panel (JRP) was stablished to evaluate the trade-offs between social, economic and environmental impact of the Northern Gateway Project prior to determine if the project should be approved and suggest methods to mitigate negative effects if approved. But Enbridge and CSTC did not come to an agreement even after the JRP being formed (McCreary 117). In the following sections, I will discuss and analyze McCreary and Balfour’s perspective on the aboriginal protests against this project, in order to gain a deeper look behind their actions and understand the ignorance, discrimination and colonial imposition they have …show more content…
On 8 September 2010, Carrier Senaki led a protest against the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project in downtown Prince George, British Columbia with More than 500 people were involved. In 2011, activists also protested at banks funding developments, Alberta tar sands and travelled internationally for climate talks. In February 2012, the story of aboriginal communities protest against the pipeline was brought to China to pressure the Chinese markets as they are intended markets of the Northern Gateway project. Following with this, the alliance organized the Freedom Train tours across Canada to protest against the Enbridge project. Through holding rallies in Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, the alliance was able to engage with broader and stronger solidarity network resisting the tar sand development. "We will not allow the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines, or similar Tar Sands projects, to cross our lands, territories and watersheds, or the ocean migration routes of Fraser River salmon. We have banned oil pipelines and tankers using our laws, and we will defend our decision using all the means at our disposal". This was written on a declaration documents have signed by more than 130 First Nations up to now. McCreary also claim that the purpose of protests of aboriginal people was not only
Thus, the information of Aboriginal traditional land use, potential effects of the project, and plans for mitigation was explained in detail in Enbridge’s application. However, The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC), which is alliance of eight First Nations who oppose the pipeline to pass through their territories, refused to permit this project (McCreary 116). Due to the resistances, a Joint Review Panel (JRP) was stablished to evaluate the trade-offs between social, economic and environmental impact of the Northern Gateway Project prior to determine if the project should be approved and suggest methods to mitigate negative effects if approved. But Enbridge and CSTC did not come to an agreement even after the JRP being formed (McCreary 117). In the following sections, I will discuss and analyze McCreary and Balfour’s perspective on the aboriginal protests against this project, in order to gain a deeper look behind their actions and understand the ignorance, discrimination and colonial imposition they have …show more content…
On 8 September 2010, Carrier Senaki led a protest against the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project in downtown Prince George, British Columbia with More than 500 people were involved. In 2011, activists also protested at banks funding developments, Alberta tar sands and travelled internationally for climate talks. In February 2012, the story of aboriginal communities protest against the pipeline was brought to China to pressure the Chinese markets as they are intended markets of the Northern Gateway project. Following with this, the alliance organized the Freedom Train tours across Canada to protest against the Enbridge project. Through holding rallies in Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, the alliance was able to engage with broader and stronger solidarity network resisting the tar sand development. "We will not allow the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines, or similar Tar Sands projects, to cross our lands, territories and watersheds, or the ocean migration routes of Fraser River salmon. We have banned oil pipelines and tankers using our laws, and we will defend our decision using all the means at our disposal". This was written on a declaration documents have signed by more than 130 First Nations up to now. McCreary also claim that the purpose of protests of aboriginal people was not only