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PoliticsFirstNations13TuesdayJanuary282014TownofFortSmithNoticetoResidentsDEADLINE500PMFEBRUARY12014PrepaymentofUtilityChargesResidentialusersandsmallbusinessusers5orlessemployeesoftheWaterandSewersystemmayprepayeleven11monthsandhavethetwelfth12monthfree.Thisdoesnotincludeexcesscharges.Prepaidaccountsarestillsubjecttometerreadingsonoverusage.ByMARIACHURCHDespitehigher-than-usualtensionsbetweenFirstNa-tionsandindustryfollowingthewrap-upofNeilYoungsHonourtheTreatiesconcertseriesAboriginalgroupsandindustryleadersmadestridestowardbetterdialogueinFortMcMurraylastweekatanoilsandsconferencefocusedonFirstNations.Thetwo-dayconferencecalledEnergyandtheOil-sandsAboriginalPerspec-tiveswasjointlyheldbyFortMcKayFirstNationandtheCanadianCouncilforAb-originalBusinessandsawpre-sentationsfromFirstNationsindustryandresearchers.IthinkalotofpeoplehaveabetterunderstandingofeachothersperspectivesFortMcKayChiefJimBouchersharedwithTheJournalafterthelastpresentationwrappedupFridayafternoon.TheconferencewastherstofitskindtoprovideadialoguebetweenFirstNa-tionsconcernsandoilsandsindustryleaderssaidJeanPaulGladupresidentoftheCanadianCouncilforAb-originalBusiness.Itsreallybeentrulyreectiveofawillingnesstondacommonpathtogodownandbeingrealis-ticaboutthechallengesaswellhesaid.Weneedtondawayforwardthatisgoingtobeneteverybodyaswellasrespectalotofthecommunitywishesontheenvironment.BouchersaidAboriginalparticipantsusedtheop-portunitytoshareconcernsabouthowtheoilsandshavebeenaffectingtheirtradi-tionalterritoriesandthelackofconsultationfromthegovernment.Theenvironmentisveryimportanttoourpeopleanditssomethingthatweveal-waysbeenconcernedaboutsincethe1960shesaid.FortMcKayhasrecentlytakenlegalstepstoblockanexpansionprojectontheDoveroilsandslocatednearMooseLakeonthebandstraditionalterritory.Ithinkoilproducerswanttodotherightthingbutthereisanebalancebe-tweenthatandtheirwanttoaccesstheresourcestopro-duceoilBouchersaid.Whiletheconferencehasmadeimportantstridesincom-municationBouchersaidtherestillneedstobemoredialoguebetweenallparties.Therapidpaceofoilsandsdevelopmentisstillaconcernhesaid.Ithinkweneedtoun-derstandwherewewanttobeandweneedtogureoutwhichstandardsneedtobeenforcedBouchersaid.AlbertagovernmentmissinginactionWithnoshortageofrep-resentationfromindustryBouchersaiditwastheAlbertagovernmentthathadapoorshowingattheconference.Thereweresomepeoplefromtheoppositionpartiesofcoursebutthegovern-mentdidnotcomeinhereandparticipatehesaid.ThegovernmenthasadutyandaresponsibilitytoconsultwithFirstNationswithrespecttotheseproposedprojectsbasedonahistori-calobligationthatdatesbacktothetreatiesmade115yearsagoBouchersaid.Itstimeforthemtocon-siderwhattheyshouldbedoingwithrespecttoresolu-tionsoftheseissues.FortMcKaychiefoptimisticafteroilconferenceByMEAGANWOHLBERGThecourtinjunctionpre-ventingLubiconLakepro-testersfromblockadingafrackingaccessroadlikelywontexpireuntilafterthenationscourtappealdatethissummerbutthatisntstoppingthecommunityfromplanningfurtherac-tionstargetingoilandgasdevelopmentonitsterritory.GarrettTomlinsoncom-municationscoordinatorfortheLubiconLakeNationsaidlastweekthatthecom-munityisplanningtotakeitsmessagetothenationalandinternationallevelsstartingwithaspeakingengagementwiththeUni-versityofOttawaslawfac-ultytoshedlightonthepoliticalbattlebetweentheFirstNationandthepetro-leumindustryinplaysincethe1980s.TomlinsonandhispartnerCynthiatheLubiconNa-tionslandsandnegotiationsadvisorwillbegivingaguestlecturetolawstudentsandwillsitonapanelonAb-originallaw.Essentiallyrightnowweregoingtobedoingabitmoreeducationontheissueforthegeneralpub-lic...totrytogetsomemoresupportacrossthecountryandlookintohavingthosetypesofspeakingengage-mentsthroughoutTom-linsonsaid.AttheendofthedayIthinkCanadiansaresup-portiveofindigenousis-sues.TheyrecognizetherearesomedifferencesthatneedtoberesolvedbetweenindustryandgovernmentandFirstNationsandIthinkitsjustamatterofgettingthatmessageouttherehesaid.LubiconLakeNationpro-testersbeganblockadinganaccessroadtoaPennWestPetroleumLtd.frackingsiteontheirtraditionalterritoryinearlyDecemberwheretheyremaineddayandnightforthreeweeksuntilacourtinjunctionsuccess-fullyledbythecompanyresultedinasix-monthre-movaloftheroadblockandalsopreventedprotestersfromestablishingsimilaronesinthearea.TheLubiconhavesinceledanappealoftheinjunc-tionstatingthecourtfailedtotakeintoaccounttheFirstNationsconstitutionalrights.Thatlikelywontenterthecourtsuntilspringattheearli-estaftertheinjunctionends.StillTomlinsonsaidfurtheractionbytheFirstNationhasnotbeenputonholdasthecommunityiscurrentlydiscussingtakingtheprotesttoPennWestsofficesinCalgary.Whentheinjunctionis-nallyoveritlikelywonttakeprotesterslongtobeginas-sertingjurisdictionoverthelandsthathaveyettobesettledthroughatreatyorlandclaimheadded.IthinkyoucanimaginetheLubiconwoulddoitinaheartbeathesaidofre-formingtheblockade.Iknowtheresanumberofpeoplewhowerentreadytoleaveinthefirstplacebutpeoplecametocon-sensusthatitwasntgoingtoserveanyonetositinajailoverChristmas.Butattheendofthedaytheyarereadyandwillingtostandupanddefendtheirlandre-gardlessofwhatAlbertascourtssay.LubiconfrackingoppositionalivedespitecourtorderPoliticsFirstNationsPeoplecametoconsensusthatitwasntgoingtoserveanyonetositinajailoverChristmas.ButattheendofthedaytheyarereadyandwillingtostandupanddefendtheirlandregardlessofwhatAlbertascourtssay.GarrettTomlinsonLubiconLakeNationPhotocourtesyofLubiconLakeFirstNationChiefJimBoucheroftheFortMcKayFirstNationspeaksattheoilsandsconferenceinFortMcMurraylastweek.PhotoCortGallupLubiconNationprotestorswereorderedtotakedowntheirblockadeinDecember.