Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Indigenous Youth Autumn Peltier has message for Prime Minister Trudeau on pipelines

Press Release

March 22, 2018 – Autumn Peltier, a 13-year old water advocate from the Wikwemikong First Nation in northern Ontario, is addressing world leaders today at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on World Water Day. Autumn is part of the official launch of the United Nations International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development project but she also has a special message for Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“Prime Minister Trudeau personally told me he would protect our water just like he promised everyone that he would be a climate leader – instead, he continues to push for three oil sands pipelines: Kinder Morgan, Line 3 and Keystone XL,” said Autumn Peltier. “As politicians fail us, so many people are standing up to support the right of Indigenous Peoples to say NO to these pipelines, like the 150 Nations all along the pipeline routes who have signed the Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion.”

Autumn Peltier has travelled the world as a celebrated ambassador for ‘Nibi’ (water) and was the only child from Canada to be nominated for the 2017 International Children’s Peace Prize. On March 10, Autumn Peltier led a delegation of Treaty Alliance Chiefs from across Canada to BC to support, along with thousands of Coast Protectors, the “Kwekwecnewtxw – Protect the Inlet” project by Coast Salish water protectors who built a traditional Watch House in the path of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

“We are so proud of Autumn for all her amazing work – we need to all listen to Autumn and the youth leading the way in the fight against these pipelines” said the Assembly of First Nations’ Manitoba Regional Chief Kevin Hart on behalf of the “Treaty Alliance” of 150 First Nations and Tribes who have agreed to work together to stop the expansion of the Alberta tar sands, including by stopping the remaining three tar sands pipelines. “It’s amazing to see all the people standing up with First Nations in BC to stop Kinder Morgan and we also call on Canadians in the middle of the country to stand up with Indigenous People and stop Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline, which could see construction start in Manitoba in the near future.”

Prime Minister Trudeau approved both the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Expansion and the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands pipelines on the same day in the fall of 2016, despite the strong objections of many First Nations. First Nations already stopped Enbridge’s 525,000 barrel per day (bpd) “Northern Gateway” tar sands pipeline and Indigenous Peoples on both sides of the Canada-US border are now prepared to stand together, along with their non-Indigenous allies, to stop Enbridge from once again trying to transport 525,000 bpd from the Alberta Tar Sands. Enbridge is replacing its old Line 3 pipeline (which has a capacity of 390,000 bpd) with a new, expanded pipeline with the capacity to transport up to 915,000 bpd – an increase of 525,000 barrels. Enbridge stated in its Line 3 Certificate of Need Application before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that the capacity of the pipeline is 915,000 bpd (not 760,000).

The Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion, launched on September 22, 2016, opposes the expansion of the Alberta Tar Sands, including the proposed Teck “Frontier” mine (which would be the largest ever open-pit tar sands mine), and bars the passage of proposed tar sands pipeline and rail projects, including their associated tanker traffic, which projects threaten our water and coasts and would fuel catastrophic climate change. The 150 First Nations and US Tribes who have signed the Indigenous treaty have committed to work collectively to enforce the ban, including against Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Expansion, TransCanada’s Keystone XL and Enbridge’s Line 3.

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Media inquiries:

info@treatyalliance.org
Manitoba AFN Regional Chief Kevin Hart
Cell: 613-290-6283

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