Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
PoliticsFirstNations7TuesdayDecember172013FirstNationtotakelegalactionagainstJackpinemineOttawacutsintogranteddelayperiodtoapproveoilsandsexpansionByMEAGANWOHLBERGShortchangingFirstNa-tionsoftheirpromised35-daydelaythefederalgov-ernmentgavethego-aheadtoShellsJackpineopen-pitoilsandsmineexpansionprojectearlierthismonthdespiteconcernsthatitsnear-doublinginsizewillcausepermanentdamagetowetlandsandwildlifeinnorthernAlberta.TheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationACFNofFortChipewyanwhosetraditionalterritorywillbeimpactedbytheexpansionwhichhasbeenghtingtheprojectinthecourtssincethefallof2012islookingatfurtherlegalactiontohalttheproj-ectwhichwoulddisturbover12000hectaresoftraditionalterritoryincludingthede-structionofa21-kmsectionoftheculturallysignicantMuskegRiver.Werestillwaitingforalegalreviewfromourlaw-yersonoptionsandavenuessoweprobablywonthaveastrategyuntilJanuarysaidErielDerangerheadofcommunicationsforACFN.Butwereseriouslylook-ingintoavenuesforlegalrecourseandappealthisdecision.ACFNwaspromisedanadditional35daystoshareitsconcernsoncumulativeenvi-ronmentaleffectsimpactsontraditionallivelihoodsandhar-vestingrightswithfederalrep-resentativesonNov.8butOt-tawacutthatperiodshortwiththenalapprovalonDec.6.DerangersaidACFNhadjusthadaconferencecallwithrepresentativesfromtheCanadianEnvironmen-talAssessmentAgencyCEAAtwodaysbeforethedecisionwashandeddownandreceivednoin-dicationthatnalapprovalhadbeengiven.WewereworkingundertheauspicethattheywereconsultingwithusinordertomakethatdecisionbutareleasewassentoutFri-dayafternoonDerangersaid.Itsquitelikelythattheyhadtheirdecisional-readymadewhentheyhadthemeetingwithusandtheymadenoindicationofthatatall.Theexpansionwasrecom-mendedforapprovalbythejointfederal-provincialre-viewpanelinJunedespiteitsreportnotingsignicantadverseimpactstopopula-tionsofwildlifewetlandsmigratorybirdsandoldgrowthforestamongothers.Shellmaintainsthattheexpansionwillallowfora100000barrel-per-dayin-creaseinproductionre-coveringatotalofapprox-imately325millioncubicmetresofdrybitumenoverits40-yearlifeandgenerat-inganestimated17billioninroyaltiesandtaxesforthegovernmentalongwith750full-timejobs.Thoughtheexpansionwouldbringtheminessurfaceareaupto13000hectaresShellsownenvi-ronmentalassessmentfortheprojectindicatesover180000hectaresofwetlandsstandtobelostoralteredasaresultoftheprojectandotheroilsandsactivityintheregion.Shellintendstocompen-satefor8500hectaresofwetlandwiththerecentpurchaseof730hectaresofformercattlepastureinnorthwesternAlberta.IthasalsoproposedmovingthethreatenedRonaldLakebisonherdandwoodlandcariboupopulationstoaconservationzoneandtocreatealakestockedwithfishtooffsetotherdamages.SimonDyerofthePem-binaInstituteanenergypolicythinktanksaiditsdisappointingtoseeaproj-ectapproveddespitethecompanysownassessmentshowingtheprojectwillexceedlimitsforairqual-itywildlifehabitatandtheAthabascaRiver.Thepanelsdecisionre-portprovidesacomprehen-sivesummaryofthefailuresofAlbertaandCanadasen-vironmentalmanagementwith88non-bindingrec-ommendationstoimprovegovernmentoversightDyersaid.YetbyrecommendingthattheprojectshouldbeapprovedanywaythepanelmissedtheopportunitytosendastrongmessagetoCanadiansandourenergycustomersthattheysup-portevidence-baseddeci-sionmakingandwillholdgovernmentsaccountableforcommitmentstoimproveenvironmentalprotectionintheoilsands.PhotoBradleySaulteauxPhotoShellBitumenproductionatShellsopen-pitJackpineoilsandsmineisexpectedtoincreaseby100000barrelsperday.AthabascaChipewyanFirstNationAllanAdamaddressessupportersatarallyoutsidehearingsfortheJackpineMineexpansioninFortMcMurrayinOctober2012.TheFirstNationisplanningtotakelegalactiontostoptheapprovedmine.