Indigenous Participation in Imoact Assessment

I am very concerned when I read articles about the MOU between Alberta and the Federal Government of Canada. No mention is made by either party about the involvement and consultation with the Indigenous People of Northern Alberta (Treaty 8 and Treaty 11) where much of oil exploration, drilling, etc take place. THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS ARE COMPLETELY IGNORED ESPECIALLY BY THE ALBERTA GOVERNMENT WHO HAS SHOWN ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT FOR THR FIRST NATIONS OF ALBERTA‘S VAST NORTH.

If some government bureaucrat or industry CEO assumes that the first nations are just going to roll over and say “yes” to these proposals they are sadly misguided. Because no work has done to bring them on board with these plans these communities are very suspicious of the industrial actions that have polluted their rivers and wreaked havoc on their traditional way of life. Furthermore there is absolutely no trust of most of the citizens of Alberta, including First Nations, in the honesty, transperancy, and competence of the Alberta Government to carry out an objective and scientifically guided Impact Assessment. The track government of carrying out honest work on behalf of its citizens has been obliterated by their corrupt and self governing government. I cite their corrupt, indistry dominates AER as a prime example. The citizens of Alberta are fed up with the AER.

I am not a First Nations person but I stand with them in their vow to say “no” until many important issues have been discussed and satisfactorily resolved: eg the tailings ponds, the current antiquated extraction methods, and most importantly lack of connection with or respect or empathy for the First Nations of Treaty 8 and 11.

Roberta Stephens