Consultation with Indigenous peoples will continue for climate change plan

November 23, 2015

Treaty 6 Grand Chief Tony Alexis lauded Premier Rachel Notley’s unveiling yesterday of the province’s  climate change plan as a “historic event” in which First Nations, industry and the government were moving forward together.

“(First Nations people) are in the heart of the impacts of climate change. The way forward is simple, but not easy. We must strengthen our treaty relationships and honour our commitments, roles and responsibilities further to the (United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) and other human rights frameworks in setting our agenda on climate change,” said Alexis.

Notley promised to continue consulting Alberta’s Indigenous population as details of the plan were worked out.

“As we undertook to do in a recent set of conversations with our province’s Indigenous leaders, we will be undertaking a careful consultation with First Nations, Metis and Inuit people on these issues and we will carefully consult all stakeholders and the public on how these policies will be implemented in the weeks and the months to come,” she said.

Alexis said Indigenous people have been active in climate change discussions, noting that in the past few months he had attended Indigenous-led discussions both in Alberta and the United States. He said Indigenous knowledge complemented scientific findings.

“Consuming traditional food rejuvenates our custom, language and traditions. However, one of the impacts of climate change is that we are losing trust in our traditional foods and at the health of our environment,” said Alexis.

Recommendations for the new climate change policy came from the government-appointed climate change advisory panel, which held public consultation sessions in Edmonton and Calgary in September and also gathered input from First Nations and Metis communities, industry, municipalities, and academics.

Notley was joined by environment minister Shannon Phillips, advisory panel chair Andrew Leach, industry representatives and Alexis to roll out the basics of Alberta’s new climate policy.

The strategy includes a phase out of coal-generated electricity by 2030; an increase in renewable energy to 30 per cent by 2030; a 100 mega-tonne limit on oilsands emissions; and a levy that starts at $20 per tonne in 2017 and rises to $30 per tonne price on all carbon emissions by 2018.

Albertans will also be covering costs of the new climate change policy, as the price of gas at the pump will increase by 4.7 cents per litre and home heating costs will rise by $320 per year by 2017 and $470 by 2018. However, low to middle income families will receive financial assistance.

Revenues from the carbon pricing plan would be earmarked for clean technology and innovation, public transit, clean energy infrastructure, and an adjustment fund, which would, among other things, “provide transition help to small business, to First Nations, and to people working in the coal industry,” said Notley.  

The need to move forward with a climate change policy was underscored by President Barack Obama’s decision to reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and “unfairly” categorizing Alberta’s oil as “dirty,” said Notley. She added that the industry leaders who stood with her agreed that Alberta could and had to do a better job in leading with climate change.

Alexis agreed.

“We have already compromised the future of our children and grandchildren. How we move forward together will decide what happens to them and to Mother Earth,” he said.

Notley took Alberta’s climate change plan to a meeting of first ministers in Ottawa today and  will deliver the plan to an international gathering in Paris at the end of the month.