The Council of Canadians supported the Wolastoq Nation’s rejection of the Energy East pipeline at today’s media conference. Photo by Mark D’Arcy.
The Wolastoq Grand Council issued a statement this morning on protecting their non-ceded homeland from the Energy East pipeline.
The statement declares, “As members of the Wolastoq Grand Council we unanimously oppose the Energy East Pipeline Project in order to protect our non-ceded homeland and waterways, our traditional and cultural connection to our lands, waterways, and air. The Wolastoq Grand Council has serious concerns for the safety and protection of the animals, fish, birds, insects, plants and tree life that sustains our Wolastoq Nation.”
It adds, “The Wolastoq Grand Council is willing to meet with the Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr and other senior personnel in critical discussions that are consistent with our Peace and Friendship Treaties in a Nation-to-Nation relationship. There is a legal duty of the Crown to address and support our concerns due to the inadequacy of the National Energy Board process. The Wolastoq Grand Council will expect from the appropriate Crown delegate and provincial representative, a written acceptance of our traditional philosophy, and our rejection of the Energy East tar sands pipeline as soon as possible.”
Late last week, the Canadian Press reported, “The chief of the Wolastoq Grand Council in New Brunswick says the proposed Energy East pipeline project poses too great a risk to provincial waterways, and the council will oppose it. Grand Chief Ron Tremblay says the council has called a news conference for Monday where clanmothers and other members of the council will discuss their responsibility to protect their non-ceded homeland. …The Grand Council claims indigenous title over the lands and waters of the entire St. John River watershed between the St. Lawrence River and the Bay of Fundy. Tremblay says their ancestors signed peace and friendship treaties with the British Crown but never surrendered or sold any of their land.”
Wolastoq Grand Chief Ron Tremblay has previously stated, “The Wolastoq Grand Council is the Traditional Government of this territory and we continue to assert our Indigenous Title over the lands and waters in our homeland. In New Brunswick, this includes the entire Saint John River watershed. According to the Peace and Friendship treaties (1725-Dummer’s, 1728, 1749, 1752, 1760) which our Ancestors signed with the British Crown, we never surrendered or sold any of our land. The Grand Council views the treaties as legal and valid documents.”
Pam Palmater, the Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University in Toronto, has stated, “The Maritimes are all unceded territory. The Mikmaq, Maliseet and Passamaquoddy didn’t give up a single inch of territory.”
On Oct. 23, 2015, just days after Justin Trudeau was elected prime minister, CBC reported, “The issue of veto power over resource development affecting indigenous lands also came up during the campaign. Trudeau accepted the principle of free, prior and informed consent, stating ‘governments grant permits, communities grant permission’. Though consent will require federal legislation to bypass regulating agencies and coerce the provinces, which currently have jurisdiction over natural resources, it seems possible that First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples might finally have this power restored.”
In accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ principle of free, prior, and informed consent, the Council of Canadians respects the right of Indigenous peoples to say no to a pipeline on their territory.
On Dec. 5, 2013, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow signed the Solidarity Accord to the Save the Fraser Declaration in opposition to Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. On that occasion, she stated, “I am honoured to sign this historic document as it is crucially important that community and civil society stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples in their resistance to these pipelines. We recognize and respect First Nations’ decisions to ban tar sands pipelines and tankers from their territories and we offer our support and solidarity.”
On Dec. 7, 2014, Barlow also expressed her support for the Declaration by the Kanien’kehà:ka Kanehsatà:ke Territory. That declaration states, “Settlers call this part of Kanehsatà:ke ‘Parc Nationale d’Oka’, however we have never surrendered our rights to our ancestral lands and resources. …Resource extraction and their accompanying pipeline by companies like TransCanada, Enbridge, Gazoduc and condo development by GDB Construction violate the land rights of the Kanehsatà:ke Mohawks and threaten the health of the environment.”
Further reading
Barlow backs Kanesatake declaration against Energy East pipeline (Dec. 11, 2014)
Barlow recognizes right of First Nations to ban pipelines on their territories (Dec. 6, 2013)
Wolastoq Grand Council
Wolastoq Grand Council Addresses the Energy East Pipeline
(Ottawa January 29, 2016)
The Wolastoq Grand Council represents the non-ceded homeland of the Wolastoqewiyik who occupy the homeland and waterways as follows: North – Wolastoq River (aka St.John River which flows from Maine to the Bay of Fundy), South – Kenepek River (aka Kennebec), East – Supeq (aka Atlantic Ocean), and West – Wahsipekuk (aka St. Lawrence River).
As members of the Wolastoq Grand Council we unanimously oppose the Energy East Pipeline Project in order to protect our non-ceded homeland and waterways, our traditional and cultural connection to our lands, waterways, and air. The Wolastoq Grand Council has serious concerns for the safety and protection of the animals, fish, birds, insects, plants and tree life that sustains our Wolastoq Nation.
The Wolastoq Grand Council recognizes and values the statements made by the Federal Government on January 27, 2016 to consult with Indigenous Nations with respect to the project of our Ancestral Homeland. The Wolastoq Grand Council is willing to meet with the Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr and other senior personnel in critical discussions that are consistent with our Peace and Friendship Treaties in a Nation-to-Nation relationship. There is a legal duty of the Crown to address and support our concerns due to the inadequacy of the National Energy Board process.
The Wolastoq Grand Council will expect from the appropriate Crown delegate and provincial representative, a written acceptance of our traditional philosophy, and our rejection of the Energy East tar sands pipeline as soon as possible.
Wolastoq Grand Chief Ron Tremblay
129 Victoria St., Fredericton, NBE 3B1
ron.tremblay2@gmail.com
506-455-1577
