News
RELEASE: Tu Kho'l th'er - Water is Boss - Nipiy Okimaw
As Keepers of the Water, we, the people who have united from all walks of life, have an understanding that Water is sacred, and water is boss.
RELEASE: Facts made public, hefty fine urged for Obed mine disaster
We have waited two long years to find out the facts behind the catastrophic Obed coal slurry spill and be privy to the evidence for the criminal charges laid by the Alberta Energy Regulator against the then owner of the mine, Sherritt International, and Coal Valley Resources.
RELEASE: Climate Change Agreement must include UNDRIP
Keepers of the Athabasca calls on other world governments, even those who may feel that in their countries they do not have a group of people who self identify as Indigenous, to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in any international agreement from the UN climate change summit in Paris.
RELEASE: Election Canada 2015: Elect Water Protection
Keepers of the Athabasca supports any of Canada's political parties that institute the listed water protections
RELEASE: Water restrictions lifted on the Athabasca River while water levels remain dangerously low
Since the water restriction, four reports have come to attention, all providing mounting evidence that low water levels in the Athabasca River are going to continue to be expected as long as there is massive tar sands industry drawing water from the Athabasca River.
RELEASE: Albertans want stronger wetland protection in oilsands region
A new survey reveals Albertans overwhelmingly support requirements for oilsands developers to offset their impacts to northern wetlands.
RELEASE: Longstanding environmental issues raising Culture Camps around Alberta
The Keepers of the Water congratulates the current Government of Alberta for working with the Chiefs of Driftpile and Swan River First Nations to start resolving longstanding issues in the forest.
RELEASE: Another pipeline break devastates Northern Alberta before Gathering
The Keepers of the Water will hold our ninth annual Gathering at Bushe River next week. Unfortunately, yet another pipeline break has occurred that is challenging our co-hosts. Near Chateh, on Dene Tha' Traditional Territory, Nuvista Energy spilled 100 cubic metres of "emulsion" (bitumen, sand, and waste water) over a 13,200 square metre area.
RELEASE: A Rapidly Changing Landscape: Degradation, Climate Change, and Treaty Rights
While the Canadian Chamber of Commerce suggests that industry and Aboriginal communities could align to extract resources, many Aboriginal communities would rather align to clean up Alberta's landscape, debilitated by pipeline breaks, cut lines, and over 50,000 abandoned well pads
RELEASE: Water Restrictions on the Athabasca River and impacts to First Nation and Metis Communities
The Alberta Energy Regulator currently placed a water restriction on the Athabasca River. The first ever since anyone can ever remember, and some are thanking the new NDP government for prodding the AER to uphold their others duties of not only Energy oversight, but Environmetal protection, which has been severely lacking since the creation of the AER.
Activists cycle Kinder Morgan pipeline route to Alberta tar sands to illuminate impacts on First Nations and frontline communities
A group of activists are cycling the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline route from Seattle to the tar sands boom town of Fort McMurray. Through filmed interviews with First Nations and frontline communities, these folks will illuminate the oil industry's dirty tactics and elevate the voices of those most impacted by the continued expansion of Canada's tar sands.
Keepers of the Water releases its first newsletter for 2015
The first issue of News from the Keepers is now available, including the Resolutions from Cold Lake, an introduction to our new Executive Director, and more.
Announcing Keepers of the Water IX
Keepers of the Water and the Dene Tha' Nation in Bushe River, Treaty 8 Territory invite you to two important events this summer: a bush camp on Decolonizing Water Governance (August 5-8) and Keepers of the Water IX, our annual watershed gathering of stewards to protect our sacred Arctic Ocean Basin and northern waters (August 27-30).
Blast Zone signs warn of train danger
The Keepers of the Athabasca call on Transport Canada to perform independent inspections instead of relying on rail companies, in order to verify public safety. Commemorating two years after Lac Megantic, Keepers are putting up "Blast Zone" signs to warn the public that within 1 kilometre from passing trains, we are in the ‘blast zone’.
Open Letter regarding the Swan Hills Treatment Centre
In this letter, we state our concerns related to the reissuing of the Government of Alberta Approval for the Swan Hills Treatment Centre (SHTC) operated by SENA Waste Services Inc, which approval expires on November 15, 2015.
We are the Land: Energy and Food Sustainability Conference
The We are the Land conference is about "Remembering our ancestors' ways, honoring them, while learning about the new sustainable technologies that are becoming more commonly used."
Cold Lake FN Elder advises on using steam and pressure where the Earth is fragile
Cold Lake First Nation Elder Nancy Scanie declares that instead of laying off thousands of workers and denying entry to the heavily damaged Primrose site to Cold Lake First Nation, companies and governments should work together with First Nations
Mikisew Cree and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation challenge conclusions of the Obed Mine disaster's Human Health Risk Assessment
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) and Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN) describe how the Human Health Risk Assessment released by Obed Mine on January 22, 2015 ignores the precautionary principle, uses dubious methodology, and fails to protect downstream users of the Athabasca River. ACFM and MCFN question many aspects of the Assessment.