Indigenous action played key role in Keystone rejection

United States President Barack Obama has rejected the Keystone XL pipeline and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam is grateful.

“From those of us who live with the impacts of climate change every day, we want to take this opportunity to thank President Obama for his thorough review of the KXL pipeline and the leadership he has displayed with regard to impacts related to major pipeline projects and their source,” said Adam in a statement.

Obama announced his decision on Nov. 6. It didn’t come as a surprise to anyone following the seven year controversial plight of the 1,900-km

TransCanada Corporation’s Keystone XL pipeline, which would have moved petroleum from Hardisty, AB, to Steele City, Neb. From Nebraska, it would connect with existing pipelines to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to specialized refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Melina Laboucan-Massimo, climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace and member of the Lubicon Cree, says there is no doubt that the combined campaign of Indigenous peoples, both in Canada and the US, and the wider environmental movement had an impact.

“We were an integral part of the action,” she said. “I’m really excited about the potential of what climate leadership can actually look like when you see the rejection like this of a massive tarsands pipeline.”

Premier Rachel Notley says she is not surprised by Obama’s rejection of Keystone XL pipeline but what did surprise her was the words he used. Along with saying the pipeline would “not serve the national interests of the United States,” he also called Alberta oil “dirty.”

“I am disappointed by the way the US government chose to characterize our energy exports,” she said. “I think that it was not necessary to be quite so critical in the way they described our energy product.”

But Laboucan-Massimo says Obama was just saying it the way it is.

“I was really glad to see the honesty and the thoroughness in which he responded because Ö. he went through the details really well and addressed the various issues a lot of critics would have. I was happy to see his strong words,” she said.

Laboucan-Massimo holds that this is a signal to new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to follow Obama’s lead. In announcing his new cabinet, Trudeau stressed the importance of the environment, appointing Catherine McKenna in the new

ministry of environment and climate change.

“Following the lead of President Obama, Indigenous peoples of Canada can work with Prime Minster Trudeau to strengthen our relationships and introduce progressive climate policy that will usher us into a new future that respects our lands and our rights, and our planet,” said Adam.

Notley says Obama’s decision underscores Alberta’s and Canada’s need to act decisively on climate change.

“The decision today underlines our need to improve our environmental record, enhance our reputationÖ. This highlights that we need to do a better job. That’s why I am pleased about the work that’s ongoing right now towards a new climate change plan for Alberta,” she said.

The Wildrose Opposition holds that striking down Keystone XL means oil will have to be transported to market by rail, which according to a Fraser Institute study, which found that rail is over 4.5 times more likely to experience an incident when compared to pipelines in Canada. 

“If the NDP really care about safety, the environment, and Alberta’s prosperity, they will quit trying to play both sides and devote themselves to getting pipelines built as soon as possible,” said Wildrose shadow energy minister Leela Aheer, in a statement.

Notley says she will put her efforts now into Energy East and Kinder Morgan Transmountain expansion (heading west) pipeline projects “because in my view they are the more realistic ones. They’re also the ones that allow for more flexibility in job creation here in Alberta.”

Notley noted that the Northern Gateway expansion had “more challenges.”

Notley stressed that moving oil to foreign markets would not only benefit Albertans but Canadians as well. She said she spoke to Trudeau and he agreed with her that collaboration was needed to get the infrastructure completed to move oil to market.

Laboucan-Massimo says Obama’s decision puts both politicians and the oil industry on notice.

“I think it’s really exciting to see that Indigenous people, we are on the frontlines of environmental degradation and as well on the front lines of climate change but we’re also on the front lines of solutions. The Indigenous people throughout this campaign helped lead the way and it shows how our voices are being heard,” she said.

Photo caption: This action in Washington in April 2014 with Eriel Deranger, from Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (left) and Crystal Lameman (right), from Beaver Cree First Nation, flanking singer-songwriter activist Neil Young at the Cowboy Indian Alliance’s “Reject and Protect” was just one of many protests aimed at TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline.