Alberta • treaty rights

Beaver Lake cree sue over oil  and gas operations

Members of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation could halt oilsands development in the Cold Lake area—provided they’re successful with their lawsuit against the federal and provincial governments.

The band is suing over alleged treaty infringements related to massive industrial development in the area near Lac La Biche. There are 17,000 projects listed in the claim, including the construction of pipelines, gas wells, and access roads by companies that include Husky, Encana, Imperial Oil, and Canadian Natural Resources. Chief Alphonse Lameman filed the 700-page statement of claim last week.

“This is a case about protecting the environment from the ravages of industrialization,” says Jack Woodward, the lead attorney for the Beaver Lake Cree.

Under Treaty 6, the Beaver Lake Cree Nation have the right to hunt, trap, and fish on the traditional hunting grounds surrounding the Beaver Lake reservation. The scale, scope, and speed of development that the provincial and federal government approved in the area has made those rights meaningless, Woodward says. According to the 1876 treaty, governments have a legal obligation to ensure that natural habitat in the area is properly managed so that the various wildlife populations remain at levels sufficient for hunting.

“Canada has a responsibility to protect these treaty rights and has done absolutely nothing,” Woodward says.

If the court decides to impose injunctions on development in the region there could be serious repercussions for the oil industry, especially for companies involved in in situ developments, says Jodie Hierlmeier, staff lawyer with the Environmental Law Centre.

Instead of strip-mining an area for oil that rests just below ground level, in situ developments use wells that pump water into the earth to bring the oil out of the ground and into pipelines. Hierlmeier says the amount of water these projects consume is just one of the negative effects of these projects that are devastating the Cold Lake forests.

However, securing an injunction will be difficult. The onus is on the Beaver Lake Cree to prove that environmental consequences of the developments are irreparable and can’t be offset through damages or other means. 

Edmonton • Public Urinals

Pee on whyte

Public urinals returned to Whyte Avenue last weekend, part of the city’s attempt to reduce the amount of (ahem) waste that finds its way onto the streets and sidewalks of the popular entertainment district.

During the urinal pilot project that ran from July until October last year, 500 litres of waste were collected each weekend.

Portable toilets were also provided last year to cater to the avenue’s female population, but were removed after the facilities were not used, says Cindy Davies of Responsible Hospitality Edmonton. 

The urinals will be located at 103 St and 82 Ave, 104 and 105 St., and 105 St. and 81 Ave. The stations will be brought out by city crews every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m. and removed by 8 a.m. the following morning.