Ancient wisdom in the modern world can save us from the dangers of climate change, argues Wade Davis. Starting 24 mins into the podcast,
Wade Davis reveals the language of the colonizers in Columbia who promised to make the indigenous people “human”...When we actively seek restitution and reconciliation it involves, according to Justice Sinclair, dealing with three questions that concern all peoples: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? The colonizers have told indigenous people that all your answers have been wrong for all of your history.
The Canadian anthropologist has spent a lifetime looking into what Indigenous peoples of the world can teach us. Now, 10 years after his 2009 Massey lectures called 'The Wayfinders,' he looks back on what has changed on our planet — for better and for worse.1
Canada undertakes the treaty process in the west to honour the Royal Proclamation of 1763. It costs huge amounts of money. We do it because we are decent people. We are also healing ourselves. We are becoming a better country. We are doing it for all Canadians. We are giving a signal to the world this is the kind of people we are!
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| The people we are! |
Andrew Kurjata of CBC News reports an alternate route was too costly and posed greater environmental risks, the company says.
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| Need more money! |
In an interview with reporters on Jan. 27, Coastal GasLink president David Pfeiffer was asked why the company wouldn't move the pipeline's path in order to avoid conflict. "We spent many years assessing multiple routes through the Wet'suwet'en Territory, about six years," Pfeiffer said. "The current route was selected as the most technically viable and one that minimized impact to the environment." Mike Ridsdale, the Office of the Wet'suwet'en's environmental assessment co-ordinator, stated that the alternate route would have followed a path through Wet'suwet'en territory eyed for use by Pacific Northern Gas for an expansion and looping project. The rejected McDonnell Lake route would also run through Wet'suwet'en territory, but would pass farther north, toward Smithers. Mike Ridsdale of the Office of the Wet'suwet'en said Pacific Northern Gas has considered the route for its own pipeline project, depicted in purple.
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| https://i.cbc.ca/1.5465329.1581744733!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/mcdonnell-lake-route.jpg |
In a letter provided to CBC by the Office of Wet'swuwet'en, Coastal GasLink says it explored the possibility of using the McDonnell Lake route through aerial and computer reviews, and by meeting with representatives of Pacific Northern Gas. The letter — dated Aug. 21, 2014 — also outlines reasons Coastal GasLink rejected the route, including:
It would increase the pipeline's length by as much as 89 kilometres, upping both the environmental impact and as much as $800 million in capital costs. The pipeline's diameter, at 48 inches (121 cm), is too large to safely be installed along the route. (Pacific Northern's pipeline is between 10 and 12 inches (25-30 cm), and the proposed upgrade would be 24 inches or 60 cm.) The McDonnell Lake route would be closer to the urban B.C. communities of Smithers, Houston, Terrace and Kitimat. Re-routing the pipeline would impact an additional four First Nations who had not already been consulted by Coastal GasLink, which would add up to one year of delays to the construction process."From our perspective, the route was not feasible on the basis of those significant environmental and technical issues and therefore route examination ceased," said Coastal GasLink spokesperson Terry Cunha in a followup email to CBC.2
Shiri Pasternak, Professor of Criminology & Research Director at Yellowhead Institute Ryerson University, asks Wet'suwet'en: Why are Indigenous rights being defined by an energy corporation?
How much in subsidies?
But a substantial amount of financial support to First Nations are derived from public coffers. Rather than alleviate “systemic poverty” in communities directly, the B.C. government is channelling these dollars through energy companies. Therefore, making First Nation funding contingent upon support for pipeline deals.
The summary of financial benefits obtained by Yellowhead shows that B.C. will put up $1 million to the band in signing payments, $5 million in construction and in-service payments, and an estimated $40 million total in annual operation payments over 40 years. These numbers confirm amounts committed in a Natural Gas Benefits Agreement signed between the parties.
As the RCMP descend on Wet'suwet'en territory it is worthwhile to reflect on how social license is achieved by industry to access Indigenous territories.
The provincial government has downloaded its constitutional obligations to energy companies to determine the scope and assertion of Aboriginal rights.
A hand-in-glove system, the B.C. government has supported the current raids through financial incentives that have forced communities apart.
With upwards of $7 billion on the line in government subsidies, the interests of Coastal GasLink’s viability appears to have been put far ahead of Wet'suwet'en rights, title and justice.3
The Assembly of First Nations declares Indigenous peoples are caretakers of Mother Earth and realize and respect her gifts of water, air and fire.
First Nations peoples’ have a special relationship with the earth and all living things in it. This relationship is based on a profound spiritual connection to Mother Earth that guided indigenous peoples to practice reverence, humility and reciprocity. It is also based on the subsistence needs and values extending back thousands of years. Hunting, gathering, and fishing to secure food includes harvesting food for self, family, the elderly, widows, the community, and for ceremonial purposes. Everything is taken and used with the understanding that we take only what we need, and we must use great care and be aware of how we take and how much of it so that future generations will not be put in peril.
Environmental degradation affects the health and well-being of not only the First Nations people but all peoples of North America and the world in many ways. First Nations peoples do not yet know all the ways harmful man-made substances affects fish, wildlife, habitat, and human beings. However, First Nations people are aware that pollutants and contaminants, especially those originating from industrial development, have negative consequences for the health of all living things, including humans. Industrial contamination and disruption of wildlife habitat combine to reduce the supply and purity of traditional foods and herbal medicines. Finally, degradation erodes the quality of life dependent on the purity of the land, water, flora and fauna, and further affects Indigenous people’s cultures, languages and spiritual health and well-being.
First Nations peoples can demonstrate how, in asserting their land use and rights, economic initiatives can be both profitable and sustainable for future generations. First Nation traditional knowledge has provided our people with the tools to care for Mother Earth and our sacred sites. This knowledge can be shared with industry for the betterment and survival of all peoples4
The problems faced by the principles involved in building a gas pipeline to the BC coast are possibly resolved by spending more money
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| Money from taxpayer |
to build on a mutually agreeable route and even more money to honour Canadian values in the commitments the Government has made to meet GHG emission goals and net zero dates.
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| Commitment to the Planet |
It provides hope that some serious jurisdictional matters for nation to nation discussions
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| An example to end colonialism |
on indigenous reconciliation can be established.
References
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