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18TuesdayJanuary72014LookingforagreatNewYearsresolutionJointhe2014WalktoTukFormateamandwalkthedistanceoftheMackenzieRiverbetweenJanuary6thandMarch3rd.GreatPrizescanbewonincludingaightvoucherfromFirstAir.RegisterNowRegistrationEndsJanuary17thChallengeStartsJanuary6th2014Formoreinformationwww.nwtrpa.orgorcall867669-8375www.nwtrpa.orgPoliticsFirstNationsByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheLubiconLakeNationischallengingtheinjunc-tiongrantedtoPennWestPetroleumlastmonthor-deringprotesterstoremovearoadblockpreventingthecompanyfromaccessingafrackingsiteontheFirstNa-tionsterritory.ThenationledanoticeofappealwithAlbertasCourtofAppeallastFridaycallingthecourtdecisionmadeonDec.16unconstitutional.TheQueensBenchcourtdecisionbroughtanendtothethreeweeksofnon-stoppeacefulproteststhatsawanaccessroadtoPennWestsleasenearSawnandHaigLakesbarricaded247.TheLubiconLakeNationgovernmentassertsthattheareaisinhabitedcultur-allysignicantandusedfortraditionalactivitiessuchashuntingtrappingandshingwhichwouldbecompromisedbyindus-trialactivity.ThoughPennWestre-questedaone-weekinjunc-tionitreceivedasix-monthordercoveringalargeareathatincludesseveralleasesites.InitsappealtheFirstNationraisesconstitutionalissuesconcerningsection35Aboriginalrightsthatitclaimsthecourtfailedtocon-siderwhenmakingitsorderunderthePublicLandsAct.ItclaimsthePublicLandsActunconstitutionallypriv-ilegesindustryaccesstoresourcesoverAboriginalrightstotraditionalterritory.WhiletheLubiconNationhasseenrecentfragmenta-tionwithaseparatefeder-ally-recognizedchiefandcouncilontracktonegotiat-ingalandclaimsettlementwiththefederalgovernmenttheFirstNationremainswith-outtreatystatus.ThisisourlanduntilthegovernmentofCanadaentersintoanagreementwithusLubiconLakeNationChiefBernardOminayaksaidinastatementovertheweekend.PennWesttheprovinceofAlbertaandthecourtscan-notsimplychoosetoignoreourinherentrightsandas-sistindustryattheexpenseofourlandandourpeople.ThoughtheprotestshavebeenscornedbytheFirstNationsgovernment-recog-nizedleadershiptheyhavebeenmetwithsupportfromindigenousgroupsacrossCanadaincludingnationalnetworkslikeIdleNoMoreandDefendersoftheLandalongwiththeSixNationsHaudenosauneeIroquoisConfederacy.LubiconappealsinjunctiononfrackingblockadeThepanelsrecommenda-tionforapprovalhingeson209conditionsincludingseveralprotectionplansforwildlifealongthepipelinerouteandemergencyresponseplanningandexercises.OpeningPacificBasinmarketsisimportanttotheCanadianeconomyandsoci-etyTheprojectwouldbringsignicantlocalregionalandnationaleconomicandsocialbenetsthepanelstatedinapressrelease.Thejointreviewpaneldeci-sionwasbasedontestimonyfrom1450participantsfrom21communitiesmorethan175000pagesofevidenceand9000lettersofcomment.DianaMcQueenAlbertasnewlyappointedministerofEnergycalledtheapprovalanimportantsteptowardspositioningCanadaasaglobalenergysuperpowerbutnotedthereismoretobedone.ThereisstillmuchworkaheadforEnbridgetosatisfythemanyconditionssetoutbytheJointReviewPanelaswellasmeetingBCsveconditionsshesaidinapressrelease.AlbertaandtheBCgovern-mentcametoanagreementinNovembertocooperateontheNorthernGatewaythelatterproposingveconditionsofitsownincludingtherighttonegotiatewithindustryoneconomicbenets.JoeOliverCanadasmin-isterofNaturalResourcessaidinapressreleasethatthegovernmenthasreceivedthepanelsrecommendationandwillthoroughlyreviewitcon-sultwithaffectedAboriginalgroupsandthenmakeourdecision.Thepipelinehasdrawnsig-nicantcriticismfromenviron-mentalandindigenousgroupsincluding130FirstNationswhohavesignedadeclarationopposingtheproject.SeveralotherFirstNationswhosetraditionalterritoryfallsonthepipelineroutehavestatedtheyarenotrulingoutlegalaction.Accordingtomediareportsonlythreehoursafterthepanelreleaseditsapprovalrecom-mendationtheLakeBabineFirstNationthreatenedalaw-suittheyhadbeenworkingonformonthswiththecountrystopAboriginallawyer.IfapprovedbythefederalgovernmentconstructiononNorthernGatewaycouldbeginthisyear.AlbertaapplaudspanelsNorthernGatewayapprovalPoliticsEnergyByMARIACHURCHTheAlbertagovernmentiscelebratingadecisionfromtheJointReviewPanelinlateDecemberthatrecommendsthefederalgovernmentap-provethecontroversialNorth-ernGatewayPipelinefromAlbertasoilsandstotheWestCoast.ProposedbyEnbridgethe7.9billion1178-kmpipelinewouldcarryAlbertabitumentotheportinKitimatBCforshipmenttoAsianmarkets.PhotocourtesyofLubiconLakeNationPhotoGlennMacintoshPeaceRiverRCMPmembersconversewithLubiconprotestersinDecemberduringtheFirstNationsthreeweeksofblockadinganaccessroadtoPennWestsfrackingsite.TheYinkaDeneAlliancemadeupofseveralFirstNationsfromnorthernBChasbannedEnbridgesNorthernGatewaypipelinefromitstraditionalterritory.