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
Theintentwassocommunitiescouldseethattheresawholeworldofsupportfortheirconcernsandcriticism.Wereallyfeellikethathasbeenachieved.ErielDeranger14TuesdayJune242014HundredsexpectedatnalTarSandsHealingWalkEnvironmentOilsandsByMARIACHURCHInfouryearsthousandsoffeethavemarchedthe13-kmtarsandsloopinquietpro-testoftheAthabascaoilsandsduringtheannualTarSandsHealingWalkinFortMcMur-rayandthisweekendwillseehundredsmoreforthefthandnalmarch.WereendingthewalkitselfintheFortMcMurrayregionbuttherearesomanyplansforculturecampsandcommunitytrainingtotakethatnextstep.Itstheendofthewalkbutthebegin-ningofsomethingnewErielDerangeroneoftheorganizerstoldTheJour-nallastweek.AccordingtoDerangertheorganizersoftheHealingWalk-mainlytheKeepersoftheAthabasca-feeltheirenergieswillnowbebetterspentongivinglocalsthepowerandtoolstohosttheirowndialogueontheimpactoilsandsdevelopmenthasontheircommunities.TheHealingWalkhasreallyserveditspurposeofbeingthatconnectorandbeingthatsafespaceforcom-munitiesshesaid.TheHealingWalkbeganin2010afterconcernedresidentsandenvironmentalandhumanrightsorganiza-tionsbeganbrainstormingwaystoghtbackagainstunhinderedgrowthintheoilsands.DerangerwaspresentatthetalksandsaidwhileNGOswerecallingforproactiveactionsuggestingprotestsandrallieslocalsfeltitwasinappropriateconsideringholdingsimilarwalksnextyearshesaid.AsitisthenalwalknearFortMcMurraythisyearseventwillreturntotheorigi-nalaimbyfocusingonvoicesfromwithinthecommunity.Guestspeakerswillbealmostexclusivelychiefsandleadersfromcommunitiesaffectedbypipelinesreneriesoroilsandsprojects.Thethree-dayeventwillbeheldinFortMcMurraystart-ingJune27.WorkshopswillbeheldonFridaywhilethewalkbeginsat1100a.m.onSatur-daywithafeasttofollow.AclosingceremonyonSundaymorningwillbringtheHeal-ingWalktoanofcialend.Forafullscheduleofthewalkvisithttpwww.heal-ingwalk.orgschedule.htmlmarchthatwouldbringFirstNationspeoplefromwithintheregionalongwiththosefromoutsidetoengageinasafediscussionaboutcon-cernsaroundtheoilsandswhilelayingdownprayersforthefateofMotherEarth.Theintentwassocommu-nitiescouldseethattheresawholeworldofsupportfortheirconcernsandcriticismDerangersaid.Wereallyfeellikethathasbeenachieved.TodaytheeventhasbeenattendedbypeoplefromacrosstheworldandhasseennameslikeIdleNoMorefounderSylviaMcAdamauthorandactivistNaomiKleinAmericanenviron-mentalactivistBillMcKib-benandindigenousactivistandauthorWinonaLadukejoinintheceremonialprotest.WiththeskillslearnedandconnectionsmadeoverthepastfouryearsofHeal-ingWalkspeopleinthere-gionnowhavetheabilitytoputontheirownceremonialjourneyDerangersaid.AlreadytherearerumorsthatcommunitiesintheColdLakeandPeaceRiverregionsareconsideringtheirrelationshipwiththeoilsandsindustry.ParticularlytheFirstNa-tionspeopleeventhoughtheyhavealotofcriticismfeltalmostafraidtocomeoutinprotestofthisindustrythatreallyisthebreadandbutterforthepeopleoftheregionshesaid.TheconsensuslandedonahealingwalkaceremonialPhotoMeaganWohlbergPeacefulprotestersmarchthetarsandsloopnearFortMcMurraylastyear.TheTarSandsHealingWalkwillbeheldforthenaltimethiscomingweekend.OuranswerisYes.Wecareaboutcommunitiesandthepeoplewhomakethemhome.WerehonouredtosupportthecommunitiesmosttrustedsourceofstrengthandwisdomElders.CongratulationsFortChipewyanandMikisewCreeFirstNationonthesuccessfulopeningoftheKahkiyowKeykanowEldersCareHome.Togetherwecanmakeadifferenceforgenerationstocome.Comeandseewhatyescando.comCanwehonourourpastandmakeadifferenceforthefuturetogether