Nunatukavut People Case Study

In this article, the Terry Wade and Ernest Scheyder discuss the protesters citing a treaty in order to occupy the land. Protestors are advocating for the rerouting of the pipeline on the grounds that further construction carries potential spills into drinking water and damage historical tribal sacred lands. The article cites the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, in which the protestors cited, and further discusses how treaty has not been taken seriously in the court of law. The article suggests that at one point the Energy Transfer Company planned to run the pipeline near Bismarck and far from the reservation, but instead decided to choose Standing Rock Sioux Land. This article is useful to point out a solution to the problem as well as the impact of protestors have on this

In early 2012, rallies were held at Enbridge Headquarters in Toronto during the annual shareholders meeting to protest against the creation of the Northern Gateway Pipeline. In so doing, protesting bodies gathered from all across Canada, culminating in a single location; a movement from west to east, a collective of tribes and towns, onto the fourth largest city in North America. The main proprietor of the project was challenged by First Nations groups and alliances, under the grounds that they did recognize the proper jurisdiction of those who lived on the lands. The Carrier Sekani is an alliance of eight First Nations territories who posed this challenge, pressing their authority to dismantle the development (McCreary & Milligan, 116.) However,

The pipeline route has caused some Native American leaders to be come aggravated at the proposition of its placement. "Even if the pipeline would not cross their property, tribal leaders say, it would pose a threat to drinking water and to ancestral homelands on the rolling plains and hilly riverbeds where they still hold treaty claims" (Thune, John, and Anna Eshoo). It is ridiculous for TransCanada and the supporters of the Keystone Pipeline to propose this route with the knowledge of where the Natives are. This is an intentional insult, one they should not get away with. With an already unstable relationship, why would these polluters think it would be wise to antagonize them. This project already had many issues following it, but "so strong is their opposition that members have maintained a spirit camp on tribal property near the planned route. Despite the camp's rustic accommodations -- a tent, a trailer and no running water -- members have kept a vigil there for more than a year, and have vowed to use the site as a base camp for protesters if construction ever begins. Several activists...have said they would risk arrest through civil disobedience" (Thune, John, and Anna Eshoo). Native Americans were promised rights when they first lost their land to white settlers and the

The Tribe sees the pipeline as an environment and cultural threat. The pipeline traverses ancestral lands, where their ancestors hunted, fished and buried. They are also are concerned that it would break near the Missouri River, their only water source. The tribe filed a lawsuit saying they was never consulted. Guy Jones member of the tribe said “he had never seen a greater assembly of Native Americans than the week leading up to the decision.

For the decades the first nation peoples are not being treated properly. Whether in terms of signing treaties or getting compensation of using their water from shoal lake 40. The Canadian government has carried out against Indigenous people, their land and their water as well. A centaury ago when the demand for water was increasing in Winnipeg city because of growing population , the federal government forcefully captured their reserve land on shoal lake 40 in order to construct aquaduct which is used to carry water extracted from shoal lake into the Winnipeg city. The federal government did not think about the consequences the first nation people will face who actually depend on shoal lake for their survival. T

The tribal members are against the dam because it ruins their life style. The Native Americans use the Columbia River as a source of food and a way of life. Moreover, the damming of the Columbia River forced the Native Americans to resettle. The dam is an issue to them because they fish for salmon, an anadromous fish and once they're through the dam, there is no way for them to come back up it to spawn; this leads to the disappointed commercial fishermen. The environmentalists are upset because the construction of the dam means there would be habitat loss and alteration of a variety of wildlife, including plants. The taxpayers in the Northwest Region of the United States are the ones who paid for the majority of the irrigation construction costs (“Columbia Basin Project” 2015). Currently, there are no efforts for removing the

Protests continue to grow as the weeks continue to get long for the decision whether or not the pipeline with be repositioned. One of the most talked about controversies talked about in the last 3 months sadly is not over yet, but is hoping to be done in future weeks to come. The Standing Rock Sioux Indian tribe and Energy transfer Partners are hoping the government will see it their way. Both sides have valid reason for why they want it to continue or not to continue ,but it is up to the government as they will have the final say in the finishing of the

Dallas Based Energy Transfer Partners, the company responsible for the construction of the pipeline, claims they have met with tribal leaders “many” times over the past two years, but, “the Standing Rock Sioux claims that meaningful consultations with their leaders were never held and that their concerns have been ignored” (Dakota Access Pipeline 12). This is blatant discrimination of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and disregards any concerns they may have. Cooperation with the tribal leaders would allow the tribe to communicate any further concerns with construction. Instead they have ignored the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and decided to do what they think is best for themselves. An ideology that has always haunted the Native American people. The discrimination continues with the Pipeline being built on Sioux territory and further violates treaties. Sincere Kirabo, coordinator at the American Humanist Association, states, “[the pipeline] does cross through territory that belongs to the Sioux, which directly violates the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie that states the land is reserved for ‘undisturbed use and occupation’ of Native inhabitants” (26). The treaties once created by the government to create peace, is now being disregarded and not being upheld. This is denying their freedom of being equal before the law and further shows discrimination against the

While the Natives have won this battle, they know that they have not yet won the war. They currently have as many as 7,000 people at their occupation, waiting for an official halt to the project. This is one of few small victories Native people have had in a very long time (Jaffe).

The Canadian government says that it is dedicated to making its obligations to First Nations by discussing issues and bringing closure to all claims. Canada likes to underlie that by looking at the historic inequality and building strong partnerships among First Nations people; governments, and the private sector are emerging. Nevertheless, the current progress of First Nations Land Claims is very unhurried and seems to be deliberately painstaking.

The best method that could lead to productive policy would be negotiation between the Canadian Government and the Indigenous

In July 2016, the Army Corps of Engineers determined that the Dakota Access Pipeline presented no significant environmental risks and could go forward as planned by its developers. However, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe whose lands the pipeline would cross, as well as other indigenous groups, and allies including scientists, have urged the Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider this judgment. Perhaps due to this pressure, the Army Corps of Engineers has since delayed the easement, to the resistance of Energy Transfers Partners (ETP), who say they will build anyway, even without the permit (Heavey). While this struggle over legal rights as well as economic, environmental, and health concerns continues, we should understand why the Army Corps

As stated throughout this piece, First Nations people and their land is in danger if the Northern Gateway Pipeline is built. If given a larger amount of money, the Coastal First Nations would be capable of defending their lands and reviewing the Enbridge plans. Unfortunately this has not happened and all we can do is hope for the best.

Ethical agreements with the First Nations that gone past open deliberately about past grievances and now they are focusing on opportunities for employment and the growth of economic for the future, which they did in making the new aboriginal domain of Nunavut.

When offered financial compensation for land used for the pipeline, tribal leaders refused outright. If an agreement is going to be made that satisfies both parties, each will have find the middle ground in certain areas. After the initial Environmental Impact Statement, Energy Transfer Partners agreed to lower the depth that the pipeline runs under Lake Oahe to double the originally planned depth. If Energy Transfer Partners are willing to make changes to their plans, then the Sioux should also. It is understandable that the Sioux refused, as they see the land as their own and do not think that they should be required to make exceptions for corporations to build on it. However, one must acknowledge the realities of the world we live in today and accept that certain projects are going to continue whether the tribe like it or not, so they might as well attempt to get the best deal that they