December 4, 2006

Tuktoyaktuk

This edition of the blog written by Eric Swanson.

The center-piece issue of this hearing is the Parson’s Lake airstrip.

Tuktoyaktuk residents do not want it built as they feel it will disrupt the caribou and geese that they rely on, and that migrate through the area. The word on the street is that the proponents should use the Tuk airstrip instead, and lend their weight to getting the all-weather road between Tuk and Inuvik built - the proponents could then put in the appropriate connecting roads to service their facilities at Parson’s Lake.

There is no word yet on whether this is feasible for ConocoPhillips.

The most detailed presentations of the hearing are given by Mr. Vince Teddy and Roger Gruben, who both support the project in light of the economic opportunities that it would bring. Vince thinks that the appropriateness of the Tuk airport option is buoyed by the likelihood of future offshore developments in the Beaufort Sea, which could also use the Tuk airport. Roger provides detailed recommendations to the panel to ensure that the Inuvialuit are significantly included in, and benefit from the project.   

The first to speak after Imperial’s usual opener is Mr. Fred Gruben: “I don't even know what's going on with the National Energy Board. I know they're supposed to have a meeting, but I don't know what about.”

Regardless, Mr. Gruben uses the opportunity to express his view that there shouldn’t be a new airstrip at Parson’s Lake, because there’s already one in Tuk, and combined with a winter road, that should be enough. He generally distrusts oil companies:  “I've been around the oil industry for the last 35, 40 years. I know how they operate, you know. If they don't get nothing, they'll take off and they'll come back 10, 15 years down the line, just like the last time…. what do we people get out of it? We don't get nothing.”

Mr. James Pokiak: “I'm very disappointed in our community leaders not being here to make oral statements on behalf of our people here… I know there's been a lot of other projects that have happened before, and we've seen the outcome of it. And I think a lot of us are getting quite frustrated in not being heard the way we should be heard.”

He blames industry for increasing the monetary cost of living and of engaging in traditional activities. Like many people in the north, he feels that more development is inevitable, and he puts his trust in the relevant authorities to make sure it is safe:  “we can't stop progress. It has to take place and I'm glad to see it happening, but I just hope that they do it in a way where the land and the environment and the waters will always be there for our future generations.”
           
Mr. Vince Teddy (seemingly representing the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation – a partner of the Aboriginal Pipeline Group) quotes the Inuvialuit Final Agreement:
"The basic goals expressed by the Inuvialuit and recognized by Canada in concluding the agreement  are: (a) to preserve Inuvialuit cultural identity and values within a changing northern society; (b) to encourage Inuvialuit to be equal and meaningful participants in the northern and national economy and society; and (c) to protect and preserve the Arctic wildlife, environment and biological productivity."

Mr. Teddy seems to feel that all parties (e.g. the IRC, governmentt, and industry) have tried their best towards the ends of (a), but there’s one concern of Inuvialuit from Tuktoyaktuk relating somewhat to (b), and definitely to (c) that has not been adequately addressed: this is the opposition of the community to the building of the Parson’s Lake airstrip. They do not want the caribou and geese that pass through the area during their annual migration to and from meeting and breeding grounds to be disrupted.

“We rely on caribou and geese for a large part of our subsistence way of life and to feed our families.”

And, as Mr. Gruben expressed earlier, they feel that the Tuk airstrip should suffice (in combination with the all-weather road that is being negotiated between Tuk and Inuvik) and that any extra cost incurred by industry as a result could easily be made up e.g. through future development of offshore Beaufort Sea deposits [yikes!], which would also utilize the Tuk airport.

Ms. Terri- Lee Kuptana urges the relevant parties to (a) take social impact planning into serious consideration, and (b) make sure that the pipeline goes in with the minimal footprint and that it is monitored to ensure the safety of the land and animals that will be the foundation for the next generation’s ability to pursue a traditional life. In other words she, like many people in the north, puts her trust in the proponents and government to make sure that everything goes ok.

Mr. Roger Gruben was the CEO of the IRC at one point, and has worked extensively with industry in the region; he believes that the experience of the Tuktoyaktuk community with these other projects means that “we can work as partners on the [MGP]…I would say that the Community of Tuktoyaktuk generally supports the [MGP], provided that the project proceeds with a view to protection of the environment and the wildlife, that there are significant benefits to the Inuvialuit, and that the Inuvialuit are significantly involved in the project.”

In regards to protection of the environment and wildlife, Mr. Gruben re-emphasizes to the NEB that Tuktoyaktuk does not want an airstrip built at Parson’s Lake, and that the proponents should work with the community and with government to get the all-weather road between Tuk and Inuvik built – there is no word on whether this alternative is indeed feasible for ConocoPhillips.

Regarding the need to ensure that Inuvialuit are significantly involved, and benefit from the project, he makes recommendations in three main areas.

(1) Industry, the IRC, and government need to immediately implement more specific training initiatives (with hard targets) to qualify local residents for e.g. supervisory positions, which would provide more benefits to the community than their current driver/operator, labour, kitchen and catering, cleaning, and limited wildlife and environmental monitor positions.

(2) Mr. Gruben wants the NEB and proponents to “understand that our people are making very difficult choices between employment and pursuing the traditional lifestyle.” As such, employment of locals should be conducted with e.g. flexible work schedules so that traditional activities can be maintained to some degree.

(3) Industry must ensure that Inuvialuit businesses are meaningfully involved in the award of contracts.

(4) Government has to provide more resources to deal with the social impacts of oil and gas development (e.g. more RCMP, upgraded health and other social facilities).

Eric Swanson is a volunteer with the Sierra Legal Defence Fund.

Home > Postings > 2006-12-04