Wells, Pipelines and Broken Promises

Media Advisory
For immediate release
February 7, 2005

Ottawa group launches new campaign to support Lubicon land settlement
Targets oil and gas approvals

OTTAWA – Outaouais Lubicon Solidarity (OLS) is launching a simple yet innovative and effective protest campaign today to push the Canadian government to negotiate a just settlement of Lubicon Lake Indian Nation land rights and finally end this long-standing Canadian human rights tragedy.

The Lubicon Lake Indian Nation, a First Nation of approximately 500 people living in northern Alberta, have never surrendered their rights to their traditional lands. Negotiations with the federal and provincial governments have so far failed to resolve their outstanding land rights. Meanwhile over $13 billion in oil and gas has been taken from their Traditional Territory. The United Nations, Amnesty International and the World Council of Churches have all called on Canada to resolve this dispute.

Starting today, every time the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board approves a new oil or gas well or pipeline for development in Lubicon Traditional Territory, supporters of a Lubicon settlement will send e-mail messages and letters to the Minister of Indian Affairs Andy Scott, local Members of Parliament and Alberta Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Pearl Calahesan telling them that yet another development has been authorized on Lubicon Territory prior to resolving the land rights in the area and urging them to resolve this injustice through negotiations now. The group expects to generate thousands of letters supporting a Lubicon settlement.

In 2002 there were already over 1,700 oil or gas well sites in Lubicon Traditional Territory and countless miles of pipelines connecting those to market. Last year alone another 77 oil and gas wells and 75 pipelines were approved within Lubicon Traditional Territory.

Already eleven wells and eight pipelines have been approved since the beginning of this year. Some of these involve primary oil sands development within 3 miles of the proposed Lubicon reserve lands.

The campaign will continue until March 12, 2005.

For more information, contact:
Ed Bianchi – (613) 235-9956   xt. 221

 

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