54 Luis D. Virla et al.
carry out their practices, but also for the fundamental right to a clean living
environment:
We need and have the right to clean air and water, and enough healthy
plants and animals to harvest in need. If Alberta and the industry change
the ways things are done, we can have this things and Oil Sands can
continue to be develop.
(Holly Fortier, Fort McKay cross- cultural consultant and community
member, quoted in Behr, 2013)
Based on a land- use model, the ALCES Group, a land- use consulting firm, was able
to identify mitigation options supported by the community that, if incorporated
into provincial regulations and implemented, could allow the recovery of the
moose habitat and increase the livelihood of other animal and plant species, while
allowing the economic benefits of continued bitumen extraction in the Fort
McKay Traditional Territory. The most unique factors for this study were the biotic
indicators appointed by the community as essential for the wellbeing of the area
(moose, fisher, fish, edible berries, and others), and the critical areas to protect
based on the areas traditionally used for hunting, trapping, fishing, and spiritual
traditions. This pathway also implies strong collaboration between industry and the
First Nations communities most directly impacted by bitumen production. Industry
will need to collaborate to set best practices and to consult with communities in
the expansion of oil sands extraction and reclamation of land. Government support
would also be required to ensure that the land- use designation is respected by
industry. The paced development should increase the quality of air and reduce the
amount of water extracted for industrial use.
Despite of the efforts of the Fort McKay community to implement this plan,
since 2013 no definitive action has been seen from the government. According to
court records, several attempts to implement this plan have been carried out with
no success. On several occasions, Fort McKay had to pursue legal routes to stop
development projects and promote a paced development, as evidenced in the four
legal cases Fort McKay has conducted since 2013. More recently, Fort McKay has
been involved in legal actions to demand the management of resource
development near their reserve lands. To date, some authorities have heard the
community’s proposals and have considered developing a plan for the area they
want to be protected. Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks, has
publicly announced the consultation with the community, indicating:
We are moving forward in collaboration with the Fort McKay First Nation
to protect their traditional lands, while ensuring responsible development
near their community. By working jointly with Indigenous peoples and
industry, we have made a lot of progress and I look forward to refining the
plan after careful consultation.
(Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks, in Alberta
Ministry of Environment and Parks, 2018b)
carry out their practices, but also for the fundamental right to a clean living
environment:
We need and have the right to clean air and water, and enough healthy
plants and animals to harvest in need. If Alberta and the industry change
the ways things are done, we can have this things and Oil Sands can
continue to be develop.
(Holly Fortier, Fort McKay cross- cultural consultant and community
member, quoted in Behr, 2013)
Based on a land- use model, the ALCES Group, a land- use consulting firm, was able
to identify mitigation options supported by the community that, if incorporated
into provincial regulations and implemented, could allow the recovery of the
moose habitat and increase the livelihood of other animal and plant species, while
allowing the economic benefits of continued bitumen extraction in the Fort
McKay Traditional Territory. The most unique factors for this study were the biotic
indicators appointed by the community as essential for the wellbeing of the area
(moose, fisher, fish, edible berries, and others), and the critical areas to protect
based on the areas traditionally used for hunting, trapping, fishing, and spiritual
traditions. This pathway also implies strong collaboration between industry and the
First Nations communities most directly impacted by bitumen production. Industry
will need to collaborate to set best practices and to consult with communities in
the expansion of oil sands extraction and reclamation of land. Government support
would also be required to ensure that the land- use designation is respected by
industry. The paced development should increase the quality of air and reduce the
amount of water extracted for industrial use.
Despite of the efforts of the Fort McKay community to implement this plan,
since 2013 no definitive action has been seen from the government. According to
court records, several attempts to implement this plan have been carried out with
no success. On several occasions, Fort McKay had to pursue legal routes to stop
development projects and promote a paced development, as evidenced in the four
legal cases Fort McKay has conducted since 2013. More recently, Fort McKay has
been involved in legal actions to demand the management of resource
development near their reserve lands. To date, some authorities have heard the
community’s proposals and have considered developing a plan for the area they
want to be protected. Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks, has
publicly announced the consultation with the community, indicating:
We are moving forward in collaboration with the Fort McKay First Nation
to protect their traditional lands, while ensuring responsible development
near their community. By working jointly with Indigenous peoples and
industry, we have made a lot of progress and I look forward to refining the
plan after careful consultation.
(Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks, in Alberta
Ministry of Environment and Parks, 2018b)