Band risks oil payoff for traditional lifestyle

A small band near Chard in northern Alberta is joining other bands like Chief Bernard Ominayak's Lubicon Lake Band in suing the Alberta government for failing to ensure its treaty rights.
Nearby industrial sites near Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation is making it impossible for them to hunt and fish to support themselves.
Chief Vern Janvier explained in a press conference "our primary concern is to keep our way of life alive." Since half of his people are uneducated and have no inclination to become engineers, they have no stake in expanding oilsands development.
This isn't about money, he told reporters. On the contrary, Janvier stands to lose potential income from contracting with the oil industry.
"We took a big risk doing this, losing all our revenue from those companies."
The First Nation wants a judicial review to delay the expansion of MEG Energy's Christina Lake oilsands project near its land until the band has been adequately consulted.
Industrial expansion is wiping out wildlife and encroaching upon land guaranteed by the federal government for the band's use under Treaty 8.
The Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation has 690 members, 400 of whom live on-reservation. If successful in their lawsuit, the band could affect how industry consults with Aboriginal communities and could delay projects.