Members of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) in northern Alberta voiced its opposition to the Syncrude Mildred Lake extension project on Monday at a hearing in Fort McMurray, Alta.
“This project here is just going to continue to add to more problems we are having today,” said Chief Allan Adam of the ACFN.
“It isn’t going to get any better.”
The hearings are being held by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).
Extending Syncrude’s operation, 40 km north of Fort McMurray would allow the mine to produce 738 million barrels of bitumen the company said and create 1,160 construction jobs.
But it would also extend Syncrude’s operations on the ACFN traditional land by 14 years.
(Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam at the hearings in Fort McMurray)
Adam is worried about declining water levels, elimination of caribou and moose habitats and contamination of the waterways.
“I remember, as a kid, you could drink water from the Athabasca River. You can drink water from the Athabasca Lake, you can eat the fish.” Adam said,
“I remember those days. But now, today, you can’t do it.”
The hearings have been ongoing since Jan. 22.
Dene Elder Roy Ladouceur lives off the land in Poplar Point.
He testified at the hearing and said low water levels have made travelling on ice roads difficult for transportation.
“Leave oil alone as it is for the time being,” he said. “Give mother nature its own space and time. Mother nature knows best how it goes about doing its own rehabilitation and reclamation.
“It’s all in her hands.”
(Dene Elder Roy Ladouceur)
Adam said the message he wants get across is “how we’re displeased with Syncrude’s behavior over the last 40 of operating in this region.”
In the 1970s, the town of Fort McMurray collaborated with Syncrude-owned Northward Developments to evict Indigenous families in Moccasin Flats to build the River Park Glen Housing Complex.
“Their agenda right from year one was basically to move the First Nations from the area.” Adam said at the hearing. “The Dene have been here for thousands of years and intend to stay here long after the project is finished.”
If approved, the oil sands mine would be in operation as soon as 2023.
Hearings for the project will continue until February 8.
I am also a native that works in the oil and gas sector and as such, view myself as part of the solution, not part of the problem. It concerns me who “activists”, “committees” and “concerned parties” sit quietly through out the coldest months of the winter providing a running commentary that has no impact. Where does your funding come from, where does your right to trample on good jobs come from, I don’t see many if any of the people going and building homes from the land, hunting game as in the past or sitting stoically in their traditional homes avoiding the world. No, instead “the people” sit in their prefab homes, and turn the dial on their gas fired furnace, so they don’t get to cold in front of their computer as they complain bitterly. Maybe it’s time to move forward, become part of the solution. Take a real world approach, if you believe in your convictions, become part of the actual process, get into the industry and be part of it. We are moving ourselves into a position of irrelavance if we don’t engage and if we are a little honest with ourselves all cultures of 100 years ago are long gone, they evolved into something new. Stagnant cultures wither and die, cultures that evolve with the times will thrive.
I am also a native that works in the oil and gas sector and as such, view myself as part of the solution, not part of the problem. It concerns me who “activists”, “committees” and “concerned parties” sit quietly through out the coldest months of the winter providing a running commentary that has no impact. Where does your funding come from, where does your right to trample on good jobs come from, I don’t see many if any of the people going and building homes from the land, hunting game as in the past or sitting stoically in their traditional homes avoiding the world. No, instead “the people” sit in their prefab homes, and turn the dial on their gas fired furnace, so they don’t get to cold in front of their computer as they complain bitterly. Maybe it’s time to move forward, become part of the solution. Take a real world approach, if you believe in your convictions, become part of the actual process, get into the industry and be part of it. We are moving ourselves into a position of irrelavance if we don’t engage and if we are a little honest with ourselves all cultures of 100 years ago are long gone, they evolved into something new. Stagnant cultures wither and die, cultures that evolve with the times will thrive.
I am a native as well …i would say the same thing .you can’t replace memories an you can’t replace life for future generation that have to live there..there has to be more studies ..on weather just take so much oil from that area is not worth destroying that habitats..what will remain after all that work is done,what will it look like when they are finished there..how much will they have to pay to that reserve..to live there..i think I wouldn’t want to live there..would you..its like moving you a new planet..an how do you replace generation of memories an cultures when the water table is screwed..do you move that whole reserve to a new area..you got to spent millions an millions to make that reserve a new place to live…just saying..roy nanibush..
your concerns are legitimate but, whatever happened to the integration of cultures and the common goals of resource sharing?
Think Syncrude should give shares to AFCN Band & Members also have 51% of say in what goes on or even 49%… Need the Oil & Gas up & running again & implementing employment opportunities again…. Trudy Tremblay TNT Buisness Consultant
Ft. Chip needs Ft. McKay on Board.
I am a native as well …i would say the same thing .you can’t replace memories an you can’t replace life for future generation that have to live there..there has to be more studies ..on weather just take so much oil from that area is not worth destroying that habitats..what will remain after all that work is done,what will it look like when they are finished there..how much will they have to pay to that reserve..to live there..i think I wouldn’t want to live there..would you..its like moving you a new planet..an how do you replace generation of memories an cultures when the water table is screwed..do you move that whole reserve to a new area..you got to spent millions an millions to make that reserve a new place to live…just saying..roy nanibush..
your concerns are legitimate but, whatever happened to the integration of cultures and the common goals of resource sharing?
Think Syncrude should give shares to AFCN Band & Members also have 51% of say in what goes on or even 49%… Need the Oil & Gas up & running again & implementing employment opportunities again…. Trudy Tremblay TNT Buisness Consultant
Ft. Chip needs Ft. McKay on Board.