Although this article is almost a year old, it’s a piece of news I had not been aware of until now.
POSTED MARCH 2010
Nuclear power plant meets with disapproval of chiefs Alberta Sweetgrass, May 2009 by Catherine McLaughlin, Peace River
First Nations Chiefs do not support the development of nuclear power in the Peace River region of Northern Alberta. Bruce Power Alberta has given its nod to Whitemud over Lac Cardinal for the location of its proposed nuclear plant in the Peace country. Both locations fall within the territory of the Duncan First Nation and potentially affect lands and resources of other nations such as the Lubicon and downstream communities such as the Little Red River Cree Nation. The location that has been selected is 30 km north of the town of Peace River on the west bank of the Peace river.
"The unanimous vote by Alberta chiefs against nuclear power is very significant," said Brenda Brochu, president of the Peace River Environmental Society. "I think the chiefs in Alberta have had the foresight to look beyond temporary economic development at the long term implications of nuclear power and I really commend them for that. I think it's wonderful." Read the full article here.
Nuclear power plant deemed an option. Saskatchewan Sage, July, 2009. Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation has taken the first step in attracting a proposed nuclear power reactor for Saskatchewan to land it owns in the RM of Blaine Lake.
Uranium boom brought few benefits to Dene: ''Almost all the workers come from the south.'' by John Bird, Nunatsiaq News (April 24, 2009). Ed Benoanie of Saskatchewan's Hatchet Lake Denesuline First Nation, doesn't mince words in his assessment of what uranium mining has meant for economic development in his community - very little.
Uranium's next frontier: Niger by Geoffrey York, Globe and Mail (April 9, 2009) Responding to the siren call of 'one of the best uranium belts in the world,' Canadian mining firms, including Saskatoon based Cameco, are heading into Niger - despite rebel unrest, flak over 'slave wages,' and safety fears, highlighted by the kidnapping of two Canadian diplomats.
The Principles of Environmental Justice (EJ) were drafted and adopted by delegates to the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit held on October 24-27, 1991, in Washington DC. Since then, The Principles have served as a defining document for the growing grassroots movement for environmental justice.
Nuclear Caribou: On the front lines of the new uranium rush with the Inuit of Nunavut by Mark Dowie, from the January/February 2009 issue of Orion magazine.
Uranium Mining, Native Resistance, and the Greener Path: The impact of uranium mining on indigenous communities (2009) by Winona LaDuke. While the world considers an alternative energy future, the future hangs in the balance for many indigenous communities.
Uranium: Wealth or Woe? (March 2009). The current global quest for alternative energy sources such as nuclear power is poisoning the land of communities deemed lucky enough to have such lucrative resources at hand. This article explores the impact of uranium development on the Indigenous People of Namibia. PDF version available here.
Poison Fire, Sacred Earth. Testimonies, Lectures, Conclusions of the World Uranium Hearing, Salzburg 1992. This unprecedented gathering of nuclear witnesses, including indigenous speakers and scientists from around the world, challenged the concept of the ''peaceful atom'' by sharing experiences of the entire nuclear fuel chain from uranium mining, to nuclear power to waste and nuclear weapons testing. Also Visit the Nuclear Free Futures Award!