Supreme Court Grants Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Challenge to Line 9

The Supreme Court of Canada has set November 30th, 2016 to start hearing the appeal of the Line 9 approval.
PRESS RELEASE
Supreme Court Grants Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Challenge to Line 9: Community Hopeful of Meaningful Consultation with the Crown

MUNCEY, March 10, 2016 – the Supreme Court of Canada has granted the Chippewas of the Thames leave to appeal a decision of the Federal Court of Appeal relating to an Application before the National Energy Board to repurpose the Line 9 Pipeline.

At issue is whether the Crown exercised its duty to meaningfully consult and accommodate the Chippewas on a project that may potentially impact their Aboriginal and Treaty rights. The Chippewas are challenging the Crown’s paternalistic policies based on denial and extinguishment of rights. Relying on s. 35 of the Constitution and previous Supreme Court rulings, the First Nation continues to urge negotiation and reconciliation. Welcome to fabulous LeoVegas! The exciting world of online casino awaits.

Chief of the Chippewas of the Thames, Leslee White-Eye welcomed the decision, saying, “Our community is pleased by this forward step but the path before us is still long as we continue to seek protection of our Aboriginal and Treaty rights. We need to bring home that we are not acting alone in the action, nor that it is for our sole benefit but an attempt to seek protection of our water – these energy developments are one of many across the nation impacting our rights”.

According to Chief White-Eye, “Our members were very distressed by the Federal Court of Appeal’s dismissal of the appeal when they failed to acknowledge our Aboriginal and Treaty rights. The Court did not consider previous decisions, which establish the Crown’s duty to meaningfully consult with and accommodate us on projects that may potentially impact those rights, such as Line 9.”

The Crown’s failure to consult has stalled negotiations, prevented Chippewas of the Thames from benefiting from their collective rights and has impeded economic development for all stakeholders. It has also undermined the Nation’s development as a government. Still, Chief White-Eye remains optimistic by stating that “a positive final decision from the Supreme Court will hopefully pave the way for reconciliation with the Crown.”

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Land Protectors Shut Down Enbridge’s Line 9 Near Aamjiwnaang!

This morning individuals have shut of the flow of oil on Enbridge’s line 9 pipeline. At 7:30 this morning, individuals used the manual hand wheel at a valve site to shut off the flow of oil through line 9 as an act of protest. They have locked themselves on site to prevent the operation of the pipeline.

Podcast: Stopping Line 9 Will Help Change Everything - Audio from Oct 7 #NoLine9 Demo in Waterloo

Prior to the Waterloo premier of the documentary This Changes Everything on October 7th, 2015, a #NoLine9 demonstration was held in the uptown square which called on the Canadian government, the national energy board, and the Enbridge pipeline company to stop moving forward with the line 9 pipeline project until the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation has their demand for proper consultation met.

In this podcast you will hear first from Rachel T, a Waterloo-based activist who discussed the line 9 project, the dangers of pushing diluted tar sands bitumen through pipelines, and how stopping line 9 and all pipeline project can help fight climate change.
*LISTEN HERE*
Next you will hear from Amy Smoke, a Mohawk woman and the president of the Aboriginal Students Association at the University of Waterloo who spoke of a history of strong women fighting for indigenous rights and sovereignty.
The third speaker you will hear is Myeengun Henry, an educator and band councillor of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. Myeengun spoke of the impacts of residential schools and colonisation on his community and the challenges those impacts now pose in maintaining control over treaty land when resource projects are pushed through.

Myeengun also discussed the ongoing court battle around the line 9 pipeline which is working its way through the higher courts; the attempted negotiations with Enbridge which included him receiving a ring made from the wreckage of the 2010 line 6 disaster; and the failure of the government to uphold any duty to consult or otherwise respect the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.
Myeengun calls on the Canadian government to move away from tar sands and fracked oil, and other fossil fuel production and to start respecting existing treaties such as they are a party to between the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and other indigenous communities impacted by the line 9 decision.

The demonstration ended with several drummers playing a song of resistance before the crowd followed Myeengun to the movie premiere, where he also addressed the audience on the topic of Line 9 and treaty responsibilities.

Waterloo Region Against Line 9 Fall Newsletter - Updates & Action Items!

#NoLine9 Demo in Waterloo Oct 7 2015. Speaker AmySmoke, Photo by AnishinabekRise (facebook user)

Hello Line 9 opponents!

Despite Enbridge's repeatedly altered predictions, diluted tar sands
bitumen and volatile fracked oil from the Bakken shale fields are
still not flowing in Line 9. Concerted opposition to this dangerous
project has continued to keep it at bay for more than a year past the
original start-up goal. But Enbridge is scrambling to turn the line on
to satisfy the demands of their shippers and stop slipping in the
stock market (http://www.dakotafinancialnews.com/enbridge-enb-research-analysts-weekly...).
As we know, they're concerned only about their profits and not about
the land, water, or our communities, so they're rushing through more
last-minute excavations and "repairs"
(http://faitspipelines.com/resources/PR_CaC_Excavations_Quebec_final.pdf)
in hopes of pumping dilbit and fracked oil through this aging line as
soon as December. Let's make sure that Line 9 doesn't start pumping
then, or ever!

(more)

Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Taking #Line9 to the Supreme Court of Canada

This evening (Nov 12, 2015) the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation in southern Ontario announced that they will launch an appeal to the supreme court of Canada regarding the decision to approve the reversal of Enbridge's line 9 pipeline. If the project is allowed to proceed it will result in Bakken fracked oil and diluted tar sands bitumen piped across every river flowing from southern Ontario into the great lakes in a 40 year old pipeline which was not designed for extreme energy transportation.

Opposition to Line 9 Continues from Sarnia to Montreal!

LINE 9 UPDATE: Opposition continues from Sarnia to Montreal!

1. On September 3rd, Enbridge's Port Hope Line 9 hydrostatic testing site was shut
down for the day by demonstrators from across southern Ontario! This action
sent a clear message that Line 9 cannot be made acceptable by performing
safety tests since it supports tar sands and fracking expansion. The Port
Hope site was the last of three mandated testing segments, so demonstrators
seized the opportunity to intervene in what is likely the last planned work
site for Line 9. The first hydrostatic testing site, in Mirabel, Quebec,
was also protested in August as work took place
,
showing that there is opposition all along the line.

For more on yesterday's action, check out
https://www.facebook.com/RisingTideToronto

2. Also, a big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to the fundraiser barbeque
for the Chippewas of the Thames legal challenge to Line 9! We raised almost
$400 for the legal fund. A decision on their appeal is expected this fall.
In the meantime, help keep the pressure on by making this issue visible on
social media—share articles and voice your support for their challenge and
more broadly for Indigenous rights and settler responsibility for
consultation. Check out and use the #Line9 and #NoLine9 hashtags on social
media. For more information, updates, and useful links on Line 9, head over
to http://noline9wr.ca.

3. Finally, the Toxic Tour of the “chemical valley” that surrounds the
Aamjiwnaang reserve is happening THIS weekend! Line 9 starts there, as do
many pipelines, which along with other petrochemical facilities poison this
community. The tour is an important opportunity to see firsthand the
impacts of this industry and hear from a frontline Indigenous community
working to oppose it. Buses are traveling there from Waterloo on Friday and
Saturday. For info and to save a seat (there aren't many left, so sign up
now!) go to http://wpirg.org/uncategorized/chemical-valley-toxic-tour-2015/

The resistance to Line 9 and other tar sands-facilitating pipelines
continues across Turtle Island!

No Line 9 BBQ This Sunday! 1pm @ Victoria Park

What: Food Systems, Indigenous Rights, And Aging Pipelines - Local Food BBQ Fundraiser for Chippewas of the Thames Line 9 Legal Challenge

When: Sunday August 23rd, 1pm in Victoria Park (at the back of the park near the picnic/children's area)

Info:
Are you interested in local food systems, clean water, and a healthy, vibrant environment? Do you want to learn more about the Grand River watershed and the treaties that bind us as residents of this land? If so, then come to the No Line 9 fundraiser barbeque *this Sunday, August 23, 1pm, in Victoria Park*.

Line 9 Open Meeting and Info Session

On Wednesday July 15 at 7pm, there will be an open meeting on the ongoing resistance to the ‪#‎line9‬ pipeline.

The meeting will be held at the Queen Street Commons Cafe on Queen St in Kitchener (at the back) and we will be updating folks on the current situation with line 9 (and the fact that it is still not pumping oil due to community pressure) as well as discussing ways to keep the pressure on the National Energy Board to withdraw their initial approval of the reversal project.

Please join us.

Article: Enbridge and the National Energy Board Push To Open Line 9 Ahead of Legal Challenge by Indigenous Community

Ahead of the June 16th court date for the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Rachel Avery and Dan Kellar of Waterloo Region Against Line 9 have written an article for the Media Coop discussing the federal appeal, constitutional responsibilities, third party consultation, as well as the ongoing risks associated with the Line 9 pipeline reversal project.

Public Talk: Myeengun Henry of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation

Want to know more about the Chippewas of the Thames’ appeal?
Want to learn about the treaty rights and responsibilities that are relevant to projects like Line 9?

Come hear Myeengun Henry of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation speak about the legal challenge and the community’s concerns, and how you can support their efforts.

When: Thursday, June 4, 7pm
Where: Downtown Community Centre, 35B Weber St., Kitchener

to sign the petition in support of the Chippewas of the Thames Appeal click here:
http://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/demand-the-neb-respect-indigenous-rights...

to donate to the Chippewas of the Thames Line 9 Legal Defense Fund click here:
https://fundly.com/chippewas-of-the-thames-has-never-been-consulted?fb_a...

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