For the first time, First Nations from Alberta and Manitoba joined with those from north-central B.C. to sign a solidarity statement in protest of Enbridge's $5.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline.
The First Nations oppose the 1,170-kilometre pipeline that will carry crude from the Alberta oilsands to the B.C. northwest coast because of the risk of spills on the line and from an increase in oil tanker traffic.
First Nations from north-central B.C., represented as the Yinka Dene Alliance, received support from the the Alexander, Blood and Lubicon Cree First Nations, as well as the Roseau River First Nation from Manitoba, said Yinka Dene Alliance spokesperson Geraldine Thomas-Fleurer.
The support came during a protest in Calgary this week staged to coincide with Enbridge's annual general meeting, where the company announced a $334-million first-quarter profit.
On Wednesday, about 100 members from First Nations, including those in north-central B.C. from the Nadleh Whut'en, Saik'uz, Nak'azdli, Takla Lake and Wet'suwet'en nations, marched downtown, singing and drumming. The protest, outside of Enbridge's downtown headquarters, included speeches and a song by 10-year old Ta'kaiya Blaney from the coastal Sliammon First Nation.
Several members also went inside the annual general meeting as proxy vote-holders to deliver their message.
It was one the Yinka Dene Alliance had an opportunity to give directly to the board of directors the day before.
Thomas-Fleurer said they wanted to deliver the message that they were not interested in negotiating benefits from the mega project, but were absolutely opposed to the pipeline.
Money is not the issue, instead, they are trying to protect the environment which they still rely on for fish, wildlife and gathering, said Thomas-Fleurer.
"They've heard the message unfiltered from us. We told them exactly what we would be doing if they put this pipeline through. We told them we will not stop, that we were going to use every resource that's available to us," she said.
