The Council of Canadians stands in solidarity with the Innu, Maliseet and Mi’gmag First Nations of Eastern Canada, who are calling for a 12-year moratorium on oil and gas development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and an integrated environmental assessment by an independent panel.
We share the concerns raised at the Innu-Malecite-Mi’gmaq Alliance for the Protection of the Gulf of St. Lawrence media conference held on July 16, 2014 in K’jipuktuk (Halifax). The issues raised include the lack of consultation with First Nations, rights to the natural resources contained within the Gulf’s water and shores, and the inability to respond in an emergency spill situation. The possibility of a legal action exists if First Nations rights are not acknowledged, and we will support this in whatever way we can.
The concerns with oil and gas development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are not new, nor is our opposition, and we were thrilled to hear of this action taken by our Indigenous allies. The Alliance delivered a clear message yesterday with three boats travelling to the Old Harry site to declare it Indigenous territory. We were honoured to attend the media conference yesterday and echo the call for a moratorium in the Gulf.