Le Serpent à deux têtes ne doit pas atteindre le Pacifique non plus…

Solidarité avec la lutte de l’île Lelu

Publié sur MtlCounter-info

Depuis la fin d’août 2015, Sm’yooget Yahaan (le chef héréditaire Gitwilgyoots de Lax U’u’la et des eaux avoisinantes) et ses supportaires ont mis en place un camp d’occupation sur ses terres traditionnelles de chasse et de pêche sur Lax U’u’la (île Lelu). Ce camp a été établi pour affirmer son titre sur le territoire traditionnel, pendant que Petronas et Pacific Northwest LNG planifient de bâtir une usine de gaz naturel liquéfié (GNL, en anglais LNG) de 11 billions de dollards sur le territoire des Gitwilgyoots, à l’embouchure de la rivière Skeena près de Prince Rupert, en «Colombie-Britannique». Cette usine sera alimentée par 3 pipelines de GNL, incluant le PRGT récemment approuvé par le gouvernement provincial, qui traverse le territoire Gitxsan, projet qui fait présentement face à la résistance des personnes Gitxsan grâce à leur campement Madii Lii.

Qui est impliqué?

Le consortium Petronas/Pacific Nortwest LNG qui a proposé l’usine de transformation de GNL à l’île Lelu ont confié leurs évaluations environnementales et d’ingénierie à Stantec, Inc.

Ressources naturelles Canada a récemment statué que les évaluations environnementales performées par Stantec sur l’île ont “probablement sous-estimé” l’impact environnemental que l’usine de GNL aurait sur la flore des rives. Stantec essaie présentement de continuer les différentes évaluations, malgré une claire opposition de la part du chef héréditaire Gitwilgyoots et du village des Lax Kw’alaams.

Stantec est aussi impliqué dans plusieurs projets d’extraction des ressources ciblés par Le Nord Pour Tous/Plan Nord. Ceux-ci incluent l’installation portuaire de la baie de Deception qui sert la mine Raglan de Xstrata et aussi les développements ferroviaires pour la mine de fer Kamistiatusset.

Fuck ’em

Bureaux à Montréal:

300-1080 Beaver Hall Hill
Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1S8
isabelle.jodoin@stantec.com
T: (514) 281-1010

600-1060 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard
Montreal, Quebec H3B 4V3

300-1200 Saint-Martin Boulevard West
Laval, Quebec H7S 2E4
martin.thibault@stantec.com
T: (514) 281-1010

Pour plus d’informations et pour vous mettre à jour:

http://www.laxuula.com

(y a aussi des liens vers des médias socio-corpos qu’on va pas mettre ici bien-sûr)

Also found in English, from Warrior Publications…

Lelu Island LNG Project Divides First Nations as Protests Continue

Petronas’ controversial Pacific Northwest LNG project on Lelu Island has several North Coast First Nations at an impasse.

For the past 70 days, members of the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation have camped on the liquefied natural gas site to prevent further research, but leaders of the Metlakatla, Kitsumkalum, Kitselas and Gitxaala First Nations want the research work to continue.

Clifford White, chief councillor of the Gitxaala First Nation, told Daybreak North host Russell Bowers that the work is part of “due diligence” to make sure that the environment is protected, should the project go forward.

“We want to make sure nothing gets contaminated or in the way natural habitat, whether it’s salmon or shellfish or eelgrass,” he said.

“We want to make sure everything is done according to environmental standards, and more than just environmental standards, above environmental standards.”

White says he respects his fellow First Nations’ right to protest in whatever way they see fit, and it’s up to Canada and B.C. to negotiate with all First Nations to make sure their concerns are addressed.

He says that, while his First Nation has not officially supported the Lelu Island project, if environmental protections and monitoring are adequate, “we don’t see a problem with it moving forward.”
‘Offer of a billion dollars’

Lax Kw’alaams Hereditary Chief Donald Wesley says it doesn’t matter whether other First Nations want the project to go forward or not.

Wesley says Lelu Island is his First Nation’s traditional territory, and their opposition means the project can’t go ahead.

“Our rights and title have not been looked at, we’ve never been consulted on the activities that are taking place … The only consultation we’ve seen is when Petronas came to our village with their offer of a billion dollars,” he said.

Wesley says that while the work is ostensibly being done to ensure environmental protection, workers have been observed drilling many large holes into what he considers the most sensitive salmon-bearing part of Lelu Island and Flora Bank, which are located at the mouth of the Skeena River.

He says his First Nation has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office to have the project stopped, and wouldn’t comment on how long his people would stay on Lelu Island to try to stop the work.

Wesley also said there’s no way his First Nation would consent to this project.

“They couldn’t have put [this project] in a worse possible place. It’s right at the mouth of the second biggest salmon-bearing river in British Columbia. Do we really want to give that up?”

In a statement, Pacific NorthWest LNG spokesperson Spencer Sproule defended both his company’s consultation efforts and the nature of the work Lelu Island.

“Pacific NorthWest LNG has been undertaking a three year, science based environmental assessment that has included substantial and constructive consultation with area First Nations,” he said.

“We are confident that the independent [Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency] process will find that our project can and will be built to the highest environmental standards without causing significant impacts to wild salmon.”

(Article taken form the Canadian Bullshitters Corps (CBC))