Below, an open letter from members of the Waycobah Nation concerning the Lake Ainslie exploration project near West Lake Ainslie in Cape Breton. The Toronto-based company PetroWorth Resources Inc. intends to use the dirty technology known as hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to explore for oil at the project site, running the risk of contaminating local biodiversity and severely damaging the protected Salmon run in Skye river, which runs directly through the Reservation. Updates and more information will follow.
This Lake Ainslie Project Is Another Boat Harbor In The Making!
There's nothing in it for FIRST NATIONS, no jobs, no percentage, just toxin and chemicals contaminating Lake Ainslie and Skye River, Waycobah/Whycocomagh Harbor, Lake, will all get destroyed. Our futures are Threatened.
Politicians are much to quiet and silent on this PetroWorth drilling of Lake Ainslie, especially INAC Chief & Council, we need to educate them & the people, this is a SERIOUS risk to SKYE RIVER, and all its users, and biodiversity!
This is another imposition & there has been no community meetings or inclusions process, NO CONSULTATION PROCESS! Very Shady dealings, 3 First Nation Elders, where very surprised, when we interviewed them on this issue, and all of them, didn't know PetroWorth is set up to drill Lake Ainslie.
One elder said, "What I don't like is how PetroWorth was able to snake their way in, with out us knowing!" She explained, we talked to other elders, and they expressed the same shock! Eva & I, had no idea this was taken place, we arrange & met with the CEO & Chairman of PetroWorth and we let them know our position, that we do not support the Hydraulic Fracturing their methods/form of Drilling, with the use of millions of gallons of water, and toxins/chemicals injection method to drill for hard to get at places, in the pursuit of oil or natural gases!
We hired a lawyer few weeks ago, he explicitly stated after reviewing our documents, contracts and agreements we signed with Waycobah First Nation, that we have the "gauntlet, hammer, roadblock" when it comes to developing of water to Waycobah First Nation and traditional territory, and we have invested interest in the ground water pristine image, and traditional use of it's lands and biodiversity, and our First Nation Children, men, women and elders swim in lake Ainslie.
The lake Ainslie been used by Indigenous, First Nation people Pre-Colonial history, and it still is used by the majority of our First Nations, through out Cape Breton Island, known to us as Unama'ki. Eva and I were never consulted nor have the people of Waycobah First Nation, we had to get a last minute meeting, and we sent PetroWorth notices and we rejected their developments, especially their form of drilling!
After reviewing the minutes, they failed to Guarantee us SPILLS would not occur. Our hearts sank, knowingly, these toxins will cause another Boat Harbor and oil sand syndrome, and Lake Ainslie drains to SKYE RIVER, where many Indigenous/First Nation men, women, children, play and swim during summer days to these times!
So, we put this notice out, and will be circulating it around First Nation communities ASAP! PetroWorth CEO, stated they are targeted to start Drilling by Mid November 2010.
So act FAST PEOPLE or else our beautiful Skye River will turn in to a toxic sludge! I already took the liberty of sending Government Bodies all our documents and notice of our rejection for them to use any water in the drilling of Lake Ainslie, and we told them NO flat out, to protect our ground water, our rivers, our traditional swimming holes, our native habitats, and all the biodiversity that depend on the lakes and rivers!
Our Waycobah First Nation ground water can be contaminated our tap waters can become toxic! The Rivers and the Bay will too!
WE L'NU MUST NOT AND OUGHT NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN!
http://www.petroworth.com/lands/nova_scotia.htm
Troy Gould
aka
Thunderbird Heart
Keewesoo & Labrador Clan
&
Eva Nicholas
Cell (902) 297-9327
eva.nicholas@gmail.com
skyemountain@gmail.com
skype: eva-troy
Wabanaki Confederacy & Clans
Caucus Omissis - (We act upon Clan Mother's directions)
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