"Duty to consult". I believe that our argument should be bigger than duty to consult. It is easy to argue against duty to consult. I believe it should be about aboriginal rights. Aboriginal rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the aboriginal peoples. We have many aboriginal rights I can think of but one that pertains to shale gas at the moment is water. The most basic of aboriginal rights. We have a right to have clean, undisturbed, and readily available water. Our way of life has always been centered on water. From fishing the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean to fishing trout, salmon, clam, etc from the rivers lakes and streams. It also is the main ingredient which gives us life and sustains it. It quenches thirst for our animal brothers, which in turn give their lives to sustain us. The constitution of 1982 upholds our aboriginal right in the most simplest form. Regardless of treaty rights but there is also excerpts from the treaties that say we have the right to live our lives according to who we as a sovereign. The treaties mention nothing of sovereignty but the fact that there is even a treaty says it all. The fact that we are referred to as Indians and that we cannot bother the British subjects, to me, says it all. It means that we are allies or friends. That we will share this land as 2 distinct sovereigns. There is more but running out of time. Lunch breaks over. Lol. But basically, if there is even a possibility of .000001 % chance of our water being polluted, they not only need to consult but they also need our permission. If not, than it is illegal. And we are under no obligation to grant them permission. We, as mikmaq, have all power and say in everything that happens in mikmaqi. From the tip of the gaspe, to the bottom of cape Breton, to the east if pro, and to the St. John river. We had these basic rights before encroachment and are now protected under the Canadian constitution.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:59:18 +0000
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