The Hon. Andy Scott
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Parliament Hill
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Tel: (613) 992-1067
Fax: (613) 996-9955
Email: Scott.A@parl.gc.ca

Dear Mr. Scott;

Yesterday, yet another __ [wells, pipelines] were approved for development in the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation's Traditional Territory even though the rights to those lands and resources have yet to be negotiated with the Lubicon people.

As you know the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation has been seeking a settlement of its land rights for over 65 years. The United Nations, Amnesty International and the World Council of Churches have all urged Canada to resolve this human rights issue in a timely way. And yet there is still no settlement.

There are already well over 1,700 well sites within Lubicon Traditional Territory and the Lubicons estimate that over $13 billion in oil and gas resources have been extracted from their lands. The Alberta government has profited from royalties on those resources and the federal government has received corporate income taxes from the companies involved. The Lubicon people have received at most some occasional employment for some of their people -- but still have none of the basic community facilities that Canadians take for granted like running water, decent housing, and a recreation centre for their kids. Surely with the vast riches taken daily from their lands there is no reason why the Lubicon people should be deprived of a fair and just settlement.

Please send negotiators to the table with a mandate to conclude a full land rights settlement with the Lubicon people including full recognition of the Lubicon Nation's inherent rights, and financial compensation in light of the enormous profits Canadian companies and governments have reaped from Lubicon lands.

I am copying this letter to my Member of Parliament so that my representative can be aware of the scale of resource exploitation on unceded Lubicon Territory and will join me in demanding that our government take action to finally redress this long-standing injustice.

I will continue to keep you appraised of new developments as they are approved. Please also let me know what you are doing to resolve this situation.

Sincerely,