****************************************
U R G E N T A C T I O N A P P E A L
****************************************
TRIPLE BETRAYAL HITS LUBICON CREE
(Posted by Lorraine Land,
The Aboriginal Rights Coalition (Project North)
February 25, 1995
Your immediate action is needed to respond to several critical
developments yesterday in the struggle of the Lubicon Cree of
Alberta.
The Lubicon have been waiting for a land rights settlement
since 1939 when they were first promised a reserve. Their
struggle has become more public since the 1980s as oil and, more
recently, the threat of large-scale logging activity intensified
on their traditional lands despite the lack of a land rights
settlement, and often without their consent. For five years, the
Lubicon territory has been threatened by Daishowa, a
transnational corporation to whom the Alberta government has sold
the rights to the timber from a huge 12 000 square mile area
which blankets the 4 000 square mile traditional Lubicon
territory. Very intense oil development in the 1970s and 1980s
also posed a threat to Lubicon land. In 1994, Unocal Canada built
a sour gas plant on Lubicon land next to the site where the
community will live when the land rights case is settled. In late
1994, the Alberta Environmental Resources Conservation Board
(ERCB) held hearings to determine if this sour gas plant should
be allowed to operate, as the Lubicon had not given permission
for its construction and operation on their lands. Three major
announcements in the past four days will dramatically affect the
future of the Lubicon struggle for a just settlement:
> The Alberta ERCB ruled against the Lubicon yesterday, allowing
Unocal to operate its sour gas plant less than three kilometres
from where the community will eventually live. The ERCB also
announced that other companies can proceed with development in
the area without consulting the Lubicon, as was previously
required by the ERCB.
> Daishowa announced yesterday that it will be changing its
policy regarding the purchase of salvage timber from resource
exploitation activities being conducted in the unceded Lubicon
territory, a move, which in combination with Daishowa's recent
effort to have the Canadian courts enjoin the boycott of Daishowa
paper products, likely signals an intention on Daishowa's part to
make a major move into the Lubicon area this coming fall.
> Lubicon Chief Bernard Ominayak received a letter from Ron
Irwin, Minister of Indian Affairs, announcing that the federal
government has appointed a new negotiator to settle the Lubicon
land rights case. This appointment was made without properly
consulting the Lubicon, which the government had promised to do.
The new negotiator has strong ties to the Alberta oil industry
and the ruling Alberta provincial Progressive Conservatives.
The land rights of the Lubicon Cree, and the very survival of
their community, are seriously threatened by these sudden
developments. Each one of these situations by itself seriously
undermines Lubicon efforts to attain a just land rights
settlement and control development which affects their society.
Together, their impact is devastating.
----------------
What You Can Do
----------------
> WRITE, PHONE OR FAX THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Express your dismay over the lack of consultation with the
Lubicon prior to the appointment of a new federal negotiator to
settle the Lubicon land rights case. Raise questions about the
"bias" of House of Commons this supposedly neutral negotiator.
Ask what the federal government will do about the ERCB rulings,
which are a serious deterrent to a just land rights settlement
for the Lubicon.
Hon. Ron Irwin
Minister of Indian Affairs
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
Tel: 613/992-6418
Fax: 613/992-6410
> WRITE, PHONE OR FAX THE ALBERTA GOVERNMENT
Ask the Alberta government to support a moratorium on all
development on unceded Lubicon territory until the land rights
are settled, or unless there is approval from the Lubicon for the
development happening on their land. Ask the Alberta government
not to accept the ERCB rulings.
Premier Ralph Klein
Legislative Building Room #307
10800 - 97 Ave
Edmonton AB T5K 2B6
Tel: 403/427-7243
Fax: 403/427-1349
WRITE, PHONE OR FAX UNOCAL AND DAISHOWA
Express your dismay at their decisions to proceed with
development on unceded Lubicon land despite Lubicon opposition.
Indicate your concern that they act as good corporate citizens.
Remind Unocal and Daishowa that just because their projects are
legally permissible does not mean they are morally or ethically
responsible if the result is the destruction of Lubicon society.
Mr. Fritz Perschon, Jr., President
Unocal Canada Management Ltd.
150 - 6th Avenue SW, Box 999
Calgary AB T2P 2K6
Tel: 403/268-0176
Fax: 403/268-0153
Mr. Tom Hamaoka, President
Daishowa Canada Co. Ltd.
3500 Park Place, 666 Burrard St.
Vancouver BC V6C 2X8
Tel: 604/689-1919
Fax: 604/689-2853