Chiefs Agree To End Protests Against Enbridge

Chiefs Agree To End Protests Against Enbridge

Friday, October 03, 2008 at 15:29

 

 

Treaty Four and Treaty Six chiefs have agreed to an “interim agreement” with Enbridge, and are ending occupations at Enbridge pipeline developments across the province.

 

Chiefs and Enbridge officials are participating in a ceremonial pipe ceremony at the Waschuk site this afternoon, to formalize what is being called a new “alliance.”

 

Enbridge officials then plan to join the chiefs on horseback in a ceremonial walk east on the Trans-Canada Highway to bring an end to the First Nations “days of action.”

 

Yesterday, First Nations chiefs and Enbridge officials met in a Saskatoon hotel from 9:00 in the morning until 11:00 at night and reached an agreement on some issues.

 

Byron Neiles, the vice-president of special projects for Enbridge, says the two parties have reached an agreement on some issues, such as job training and employment.

 

There are still some outstanding issues.

 

Neiles says items like lump sum payments and equity in the pipeline are issues that still need to be explored.

 

File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Chief Edmund Bellegarde is the Treaty 4 spokesperson.

 

He says resource revenue sharing is also an issue that needs some discussion.

 

First Nations and Metis Relations Minister June Draude says finding ways for First Nations to share in the province’s booming economy was discussed yesterday, but she says she does not equate that to resource revenue-sharing.

 

Draude says she’s promised to hold a summit for First Nations people in late October or November to discuss some of these issues.