First link.
windspeaker.com
Road maintenance to Chipewayn Lake at risk if Bigstone blockade proceeds
Friday, March 10th, 2017 8:29pm
“We keep that road maintained for the industry players and we also keep it maintained, at our costs, of course, for the community...”
By Shari Narine
Windspeaker Contributor
BIGSTONE CREE NATION, Alta.
Derek Keller, vice president of production with Laricina Energy Ltd., is hoping the beginning of next week won’t see border security established at the intersection of highways 754 and 813 within Bigstone Cree Treaty entitlement lands.
Because if that happens, his company won’t be allowed to go on to the First Nation’s land and the company still maintains the main industry road, which connects to Bigstone Cree’s community of Chipewyan Lake.
“We keep that road maintained for the industry players and we also keep it maintained, at our costs, of course, for the community and that’s one of the things that concerns me. We hadn’t talked to chief and council about that, but we certainly want to be able to keep that road open to the community as well,” said Keller.
On March 13, Bigstone Cree Nation will deny access to its land to Laricina, as well as CNRL, Husky, Cenovus, Exact Oilfield, Alstar Oilfield, ALPAC and all log haulers. The action is being taken for political, environmental and economic reasons.
Among those reasons is unfulfilled impact benefit agreements and lack of contract opportunities for local companies.
Laricina never had an impact benefit agreement with the band, says Keller, nor is it operating any wells as this point. Laricina’s two producing wells north of Wabasca have been shut in. The downturn in the economy not only forced Laricina to shut in its two northern producing facilities, but also close its office in Wabasca, which it had run from 2008 to 2015.
The office was staffed with local people, says Keller, and Laricina provided training initiatives and supported local contracts.
“Where chief and council have struggled with some of the other industry players … I just can’t speak to that first hand,” said Keller. “We had a great, I feel, I hope we still have a great relationship with the Bigstone.”
“We have many friends with Bigstone. It’s a fantastic community and I hope there’s a resolution found without blockades, I really do,” said Keller.
In a Feb. 20 letter to Indigenous Relations Minister Richard Feehan, Chief Gordon Auger outlined his concern, which included lack of meaningful consultation by both the multinational companies and the province’s Aboriginal Consultation Office; protection of surface and ground water; delayed transfer of treaty entitlement lands; and neglect of a referendum in the transfer of administration and control of highways.
While Keller became aware early last week about the border security action, he says Auger had not contacted him directly.
Cenovus Energy and CNRL both say they are presently in contact with Bigstone Cree Nation council. Husky Energy said the company would "be respectful" of whatever decision was made.
See our story on Bigstone Cree Nation's planned Border Security initiative here:
http://www.windspeaker.com/news/wind...nal-companies/
Second link.
windspeaker.com
Banned from Bigstone Cree Nation: Multi-national companies
Friday, March 10th, 2017 4:15pm
A building has been erected at the intersection, and border security will be manned by at least six people 24/7 ... "They’re under strict protocol from Bigstone Cree Nation.”
By Shari Narine
Windspeaker Contributor
BIGSTONE CREE NATION, Alta.
Frustration with multi-national oil, gas and forestry companies has led Bigstone Cree Nation to plan drastic action.
On March 13, “border security” will be erected at the intersection of highways 754 and 813 within treaty entitlement lands. Access will be denied to CNRL, Husky, Cenovus, Laricina, Exact Oilfield, Alstar Oilfield, ALPAC and all log haulers, according to BCN’s website.
The action is being undertaken for political, environmental and economical reasons.
In a letter sent Feb. 20 to Indigenous Relations Minister Richard Feehan, Chief Gordon Auger outlined his concerns: lack of contract opportunities for local companies; unfulfilled impact benefit agreements; lack of meaningful consultation by both the multinational companies and the province’s Aboriginal Consultation Office; protection of surface and ground water; delayed transfer of treaty entitlement lands; and neglect of a referendum in the transfer of administration and control of highways.
“This is not something that just came up in the last two days. This is a last resort … this is not chief and council’s first choice,” said Troy Stuart, BCN’s land manager. “Some of these discussions have been … outstanding in years.”
Stuart points to the practise of multinationals using outside contractors to do work that could be undertaken by local contractors. This results in BCN members seeing little benefit from oil, gas and forestry production.
Stuart says chief and council are having meetings with both Alberta Indigenous Relations and the companies in question. He also says that past meetings had resulted in no changes in practise by either the companies or the government.
“We have tried many routes of civil means to end the unjust enrichment of multi-national companies …,” wrote Auger in his letter to Feehan. “This unanimous decision is not taken lightly nor is it the first choice of action normally under taken by this nation.”
A building has been erected at the intersection, and border security will be manned by at least six people 24/7 “for the foreseeable future,” said Stuart. “They’re under strict protocol from Bigstone Cree Nation.”
The website states that there will be no violence.
Stuart is confident this action will make a difference and doesn’t anticipate the security border staying up long.
“Within days, weeks, that’s what we’re expecting. But, like I said, we’re prepared for the foreseeable future,” he said.
In an email response, Julie Woo with CNRL public affairs stated, “Canadian Natural is aware of the situation and is currently working with the Bigstone Cree Nations Council to resolve it accordingly.”
Kim Guttormson, with Husky Energy, said the company is also aware of the planned action. “We’d be respectful,” she said, “but I really can’t speculate on something that hasn’t happened yet.”
The government is “working diligently … to resolve the issue promptly,” said Indigenous Relations press secretary Kyle Ferguson in an email response.
He said Feehan and staff had met with Auger and council on Thursday.
"The Government of Alberta will make every effort to prevent the establishment of toll gates. If prevention efforts prove unsuccessful, the government will then focus on ending a blockade peacefully and promptly through open dialogue and building relationships," said Ferguson.
Related: Road maintenance to Chipewayn Lake community at risk.
http://www.windspeaker.com/news/wind...kade-proceeds/
Third link.
cbc.ca
Northern Alberta First Nation walks back on plan to block oil and gas companies
Kyle Muzyka · CBC News 50 Minutes Ago
A northern Alberta community is walking back on its initial proposal to stop certain oil and gas companies from entering by putting up gates at the entrance ways to the community.
The Bigstone Cree Nation, the First Nation in Wabasca-Desmarais — 327 kilometres north of Edmonton — issued a letter to Indigenous Relations Minister Richard Feehan on Feb. 20.
The letter said the community was planning on installing gates on Sunday, March 12, to control all traffic going through the reserve — and all oil and gas traffic heading to work.
Read: the full letter here
Companies on the no-entry list include:
CNRL
Cenovus
Husky
Laricina
Alberta Pacific Ltd.
BonaVista
TransCanada
Banister
Tolko
West Fraser
All Logging Trucks
All Star Contracting
Exact Oilfield
The letter cites six reasons for the blockade, including "the abandonment of the local economy and local companies," along with a lack of meaningful consultation between the band and oil and gas companies and concerns around water protection.
Read: the full entry/no-entry list here
Exact Oilfield, which is based in Slave Lake and operates exclusively in northern Alberta, is included among several companies on the no-entry list.
Owner Ken Carpenter said he will have to cut 25 per cent of his workforce because of the letter they received on Thursday.
"Even though we're taxpayers in the MD [municipal district] of 17 … they're just saying that for some reason we're not allowed to work in that area," Carpenter said Saturday.
"Twenty-five per cent of our workforce is out of a job, and going forward, if this is allowed by the government, it could spread across the province.
"We might as well phone up Ritchie Brothers."
Ritchie Brothers' heavy equipment auction in Nisku sees $240M in sales
Exact 1
Owner of Exasct Oilfield Ken Carpenter said he will have to lay off 25 per cent of his workforce because of the potential of toll stations in the area. (Exact Oilfield/Supplied)
But Chief Gordon T. Auger of Bigstone Cree Nation said Saturday the gates — which he said many people are likening to a road block — will not be installed.
"It's not a road block at this time, and I don't think it's going to happen at all," he said. "Not right away, anyway."
Third-World situation
Auger said the band is considering installing a toll station, which would allow the band to control who comes in and out of the territory and could also generate revenue for the community.
"A toll is where you can control traffic — who comes into your territory," he said. "We have to fight back and charge every vehicle that comes through our reserve. That's why we're putting in toll stations."
Can oil and gas wealth improve First Nations conditions?
Though Auger couldn't provide specifics as to when the toll stations would be installed — he said it could be as early as next week but as late as a couple of months from now — they won't be installed Sunday, like the letter he signed and sent to the Indigenous relations ministry stated.
"It's not going to be overnight," he said.
'We have to fight back ... that's why we're putting in toll stations.' - Gordon T. Auger, Chief of Bigstone Cree Nation
Despite this, Carpenter said Exact is still pulling out of the area. The main job Exact has in the area is through Husky, and Carpenter said Husky wants no part of working in the area until it's resolved using the proper channels.
"It's totally unstable there. You don't know what the playing field is like," he said. "It just doesn't give you any confidence to work in the area."
Auger said he's not worried about companies pulling out of the area.
"We're tired of living in a third-world situation," he said. "Nobody should have control of our land. It's our land."
Government response
In a statement emailed to CBC News, Kyle Ferguson, a spokesperson for the ministry of Indigenous relations, said the government will "make every effort to prevent the establishment of toll gates."
"The Alberta government is aware of the potential construction of highway toll gates near Bigstone Cree Nation and is working diligently with Bigstone Chief and Council to resolve the issue promptly," he said.
"If prevention efforts prove unsuccessful, the government will then focus on resolving possible traffic disruptions that may result in delays to the public. We will do this peacefully and promptly through open dialogue and building relationships."
Carpenter is hoping the situation, whether resolved by Bigstone Cree Nation or by the government, is sorted out soon.
Exact 2
Ken Carpenter of Exact is hoping the issue is shored up quickly - whether it's between the First Nation or the government. (Exact Oilfield/Supplied)
"Hopefully it gets ironed out soon," he said.
Auger said he is standing pat on the idea of a toll station until there are more discussions amongst the council and community.
"No government comes and tells us what to do — federally, provincially, municipally, or even for that matter, oil companies," he said.
"[But] Monday morning, the road will still be clear."
Wabasca road block
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