For immediate release: 22.5.2012

Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation present grievances to Shell Chairman, board and shareholders

May 22, 2012/The Hague, Netherlands – Today, Eriel Deranger, spokesperson and member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) addressed Shell executives and shareholders at Shell’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the Hague, Netherlands highlighting the communities grievances with Shell’s current and proposed tar sands projects in their traditional territory in northern Alberta.

Shell’s Chairman was provided with a copy of the report “Risking Ruin: Shell’s dangerous developments in the Tar Sands, Arctic and Nigeria” launched last week by ACFN in partnership with the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). The report profiles Indigenous communities impacted by Shell’s operations in Canada’s Alberta Tar Sands, Alaska’s Arctic Ocean, Ontario’s Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Africa’s Niger Delta arguing that the impacts of Shell’s destructive activities outweigh the benefits and exposes the company to both reputational damage and political risk, including litigation. ACFN traveled with an Indigenous delegation from Canada and Alaska, coordinated by the UK Tar Sands Network and IEN, to attend Shell’s AGM. Indigenous representative presented to Shell’s Chairman and Board about the human and ecological rights violations the company’s operations have brought to their respective communities. Click here to read more.

For immediate release: 17.5.2012

Shell under fire from Indigenous Peoples over human rights abuses and environmental destruction in Canada, Alaska and Nigeria

Report to be launched in London on Friday at a public meeting before the delegation travels to The Hague for next week's Annual General Meeting of Royal Dutch Shell.

Learn more about Shell’s involvement in the Canadian Tar Sands, the Nigerian Oil fields and in Arctic drilling off the shore of Alaska by downloading our Risking Ruin : Shell’s dangerous developments in the Tar Sands, Arctic, and Nigeria report - Click to READ or Download the Report Here (pdf).

London, UK – This Friday, May 18th, the Indigenous Environmental Network in partnership with Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation are launching an Indigenous-led campaign against Shell and its harmful projects. A delegation of four Indigenous peoples [1] from North America will participate in the public launch of a report profiling the British-Dutch company’s increasing involvement in the world’s dirtiest and riskiest energy projects.

The launch event, ‘Get the Shell Out’ [2], is taking place at 7.30pm at Toynbee Hall, East London, with opportunities from 6.30pm for media interviews. It is co-hosted by a coalition of organizations which also includes UK Tar Sands Network, Women of Africa, Platform, Rising Tide UK, FairPensions, Greenpeace, Shell to Sea, Climate Rush, Art Not Oil and the Rossport Solidarity Camp.

The new report, entitled “Risking Ruin: Shell’s dangerous developments in the Tar Sands, Arctic and Nigeria” [3] profiles Indigenous communities impacted by Shell’s operations in Canada’s Alberta Tar Sands, Aamjiwnaang First Nation’s territory in Ontario, Alaska’s Arctic Ocean and Africa’s Niger Delta. It argues that the impacts of Shell’s destructive activities outweigh the benefits and expose the company to both reputation damage and political risk, including litigation. Click here to READ MORE

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GREENWASH GOLD 2012

Which dodgy company most deserves the Greenwash Gold medal in 2012?

Who is covering up the most environmental destruction and devastating the most communities while pretending to be a good corporate citizen by sponsoring the Olympic games? Click here to Learn More & VOTE so we can give the GOLD to BP!

 

 

Canadian Civil Society Delegation ends Tar Sands Lobbying-Busting Tour with High Hopes

Harper government’s anti-climate policy lobbying faces hurdles in Europe, finds civil society delegation

(Berlin, Germany/Ottawa) Delegates are wrapping up a four-country European lobbying tour that has presented a different side of the story in Canada on the tar sands. The tour, which started in Paris, headed to The Hague, London and Berlin, directly challenged Canadian and Alberta government and industry lobbying to undermine the European Union’s efforts to reduce transportation pollution through the Fuel Quality Directive. Click here to read the press release.

Canadian Lobby Busting Tour in Europe Challenges Government Oil Sands Advocacy Strategy

Council of Canadians

(Paris/Ottawa) – Today kicks off a week-long tour of European capitals, led by a First Nation Chief and members of leading Canadian civil society organizations. The tour will urge European decision makers to stand up to Canadian government and industry lobbying against policies that will help Europe continue to be a leader in the fight against global climate change.

The tour is in Paris today, and will continue to The Hague, London and finish in Berlin on Monday, March 26th. The tour is in response to aggressive attempts by the Canadian and Albertan governments’ together with industry to undermine or kill the European Union’s efforts to reduce their transportation pollution through the Fuel Quality Directive. Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver reinforced Canada’s position that the Directive is discriminatory and non-science based in a meeting with a number... Read more.

RELEASE: Tar Sands: First Nations Reject Enbridge Pipeline Equity Offer - “Your Money is No Good To Us.”

Nations reject company's latest tar sands pipeline financial package, citing the risk of oil spills, and taking company to task for lack of respect for their rights

For Immediate Release: Feb. 16, 2011

Prince George/Lheidli (BC) – Last night at a public meeting in Prince George, the five First Nations of the Yinka Dene Alliance told Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines President John Carruthers that they categorically reject the company’s revenue-sharing offer.

Tuesday night's rejection responds to the more detailed financial and job offer Enbridge set out last week. The decision is especially significant because the five Nations’ traditional territories cover approximately one quarter of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline route.

“Our Nations will not be turned. We won’t trade the safety of our rivers, lands and fish that are our lifeblood,” said Chief Jackie Thomas of Saik’uz. “Enbridge knows it can’t guarantee there will be no oil spills into our rivers. Their promises and their money are no good to us.”

In recent weeks Enbridge officials have attempted to minimize the importance of First Nations’ opposition to their project, suggesting that these communities are in the minority. Earlier in February, at a public meeting in Terrace, BC, Enbridge officials refused to answer when asked directly whether the company would comply with the decision of First Nations to reject their pipeline project.

Chief Thomas told Enbridge’s president: “Enbridge’s recent statements suggest to us that you hope to ignore the will of our Nations. Our Nations are becoming more and more frustrated at the lack of respect that’s shown for our laws, authority and rights. Because you claim to respect our legal rights, but push ahead despite our clearly saying no, you’ve made it more and more difficult for us to accept their word. It’s simple – if Enbridge respects our protocols and our laws, then it must abide by our decision.”

“Over 80 First Nations in BC have stated that they are totally opposed to Enbridge’s proposed pipelines,” said Chief Larry Nooski of Nadleh Whut’en. “People shouldn’t be fooled by Enbridge’s claim that we are in the minority. Nations along more than half of Enbridge’s proposed pipeline and tanker route have made clear that their project is against our laws. It will hurt us and hurt First Nations who live near the nightmare of the tar sands. This project is not going to happen and we’ll use all the means we have under our laws to fight it.”

Enbridge has made numerous statements to national and regional media lately about its plans to have First Nations borrow money in order to purchase a small fraction of the pipeline.

“Enbridge is talking a lot about doing deals, saying Nations should be proud about taking their money,” says Chief Thomas. “We’ve seen it before. History is full of bad deals – often made when Indigenous Nations felt they had no other choice. We have a choice and we won’t sign away our future, and the safety of our waters and lands, to Enbridge. Taking cash to compromise our kids’ futures is nothing to be proud of.”

The Yinka Dene Alliance includes Nadleh Whut’en, Nak’azdli, Takla Lake, Saik’uz, and Wet’suwet’en First Nations, and is a leader in the Save the Fraser Declaration, uniting Nations in the Fraser River watershed from the headwaters to the coast in banning the transportation of oil sands crude through their territories.

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Contact:
Geraldine Thomas-Flurer, Coordinator, Yinka Dene Alliance, 250-570-1482
Chief Larry Nooski, Nadleh Whut’en, 250-690-7211
Chief Jackie Thomas, Saik’uz, 250-567-8048



Native Americans to President Obama: Honor Your Word, Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline

November 6, 2011 - Washington DC: Thousands of citizens from both the United States and Canada representing every background circled the White House today and joined hands to protest the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Recently the US State Department signaled that they would not be meeting their self imposed year-end deadline of 2011 to deny or approve the permit of the Transcanada pipeline. President Barack Obama took responsibility for the final decision from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier this week. This came on the heels of the President being confronted at almost every stop across America over the controversial decision. Most recently Vice President of the Oglala Lakota Nation Tom Poorbear confronted President Obama in Denver at a University of Colorado campaign speech.

More on Keystone XL HERE





Tar Sands Video: