First Nations Issues

Fort McMurray -  Alberta Government’s Department of Sustainable Resource Development, headed by Minister Mel Knight, released the draft Lower Athabasca Region Plan (LARP).  The draft plan proposes a 16% increase to conservation areas in the oil sands region, which is significantly less than the recommendations from the Regional Advisory Council (RAC), who advised up to 32%, and considerably less than recommendations from First Nations.  Read more about Draft Athabasca Land Use Plan Infringes Treaty 8

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. officials heard first-hand this week how their decisions about importing oil from the Canadian tar sands are affecting First Nations communities on both sides of the border.

A delegation of Canadian and American First Nations leaders met with officials at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the State Department, the Department of Interior and others. They also discussed their experiences and concerns with the staff of key congressional representatives and non-governmental organizations. Read more about U.S. decisions on tar sands imports will impact First Nations communities, leaders say

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A delegation of indigenous leaders from Canada and the U.S. will hold a media briefing in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, September 22. The leaders are in the U.S. capital this week to discuss their concerns over the impacts of tar sands development with high-ranking officials in light of deliberations over the Keystone XL pipeline project Read more about First Nations leaders bring concerns over tar sands impacts to U.S. capital