Chippewas for Mother Earth

Chippewas of the Thames take their case to the Supreme Court of Canada



  Chippewas of the Thames First Nation as well as other First Nations have a responsibility as stewards of the land to demand that the National Energy Board respect the Aboriginal and Treaty Rights of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. Enbridge has no right to pump dangerous oil through the community without consultation with, and consent from, Chippewas of the Thames, as well as other First Nations in Southern Ontario and Quebec. The NEB must reject Enbridge's 'leave to open' applications until the appeal is heard and First Nation rights are respected.

Why is this important?

Chippewas of the Thames First Nation seeks leave from the Supreme Court to appeal a decision of the Federal Court of Appeal which upheld a National Energy Board decision granting Enbridge Pipeline Inc.’s (“Enbridge”) authorization to reverse a section of pipeline between North Westover, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec, to expand the annual capacity of Line 9 from Sarnia, Ontario to Montreal from 240,000 bpd to 300,000 bpd, and to allow heavy crude, containing diluted bitumen to be shipped on Line 9.

Chippewas of the Thames First Nation appeared before the National Energy Board and provided evidence of its existing Aboriginal and Treaty Rights in the vicinity of the pipeline project and potential risks associated with the new activity requested by Enbridge.

The duty to consult with First Nations people and accommodate their interests is a constitutional duty invoking honour of the Crown, which requires that the Crown act with good faith to provide meaningful consultation appropriate to the circumstances and must be upheld.

Enbridge is attempting to bypass the Court of Appeal in order to start pumping heavy oil through an aging pipeline built for light oil through 18 First Nations, many of whom were not consulted on the reversal project, as required by the Canadian Constitution. And the National Energy Board, closely tied to the Harper government and Big Oil, is likely to let Enbridge get away with it.

UPDATE:   The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation is appealing the National Energy Board's approval of Line 9, and are going to The Spreme Court of Canada.! 

Please consider supporting the community by contributing to the legal cost fund. 

Run Against Line 9 - Rachel Thevenard is running Line 9 from Aamjinaang to Montreal in opposition to the lack of consent in the National Energy Board’s approval of Line 9, and in support of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation's resulting Supreme Court legal challenge. Line 9 was approved without the consent of the 18 First Nations who are on or nearby the path of the pipeline. Free, prior and informed consent is entrenched in Sec. 35 of the Canadian Constitution, and approval without consultation is a direct violation of this right. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=z6F0QutilM9A.kIvOHDhowmNo

We the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation appreciate your help in the fight to better our environment and make sure that the next seven generations have clean water. 

Miigwech! (Thank you)