Athabasca Chipyewan First Nation
10,000 signatures reached
To: The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
First Nations: We believe you, not Big Oil CEO's
Neil Young has come out strong in support of First Nations in Alberta and their legal challenge to stop the never ending expansion of the tar sands. He is bravely shining the light on the devastating impacts this mega-project has on our climate, health, and people.
Many Canadians - including a majority of Albertans - are hearing this message and agreeing with Neil's point of view.
But Stephen Harper responded in typical fashion by attacking Neil personally with his same tired talking points.
Yesterday two Big Oil CEO’s joined the attacks, dismissing Neil and other high profile tar sands critics as being “from Hollywood, the land of make-believe”, and “simply dead wrong”.
Neil visited the Athabasca Chipewyan last summer, and saw the devastation of their land, water, and wildlife with his own eyes. That’s why he’s raising money for their legal challenge, one of the only viable options to slow or stop the growth of these mega-projects.
Let's show First Nations that Canadians believe and stand with them. We want action on cleaning up the tar sands, not denial and empty talking points.
Why is this important?
Neil Young continues to make national headlines with his cross-Canada concert tour this week, and Canadians are responding in droves, crowdfunding almost $60,000 for ACFN’s legal defence at www.HonourTheACFN.ca.
Young’s response to the Prime Minister’s attacks was brilliant:
“... to the thousands of hard-working Canadians… we have respect for all working people. The quandary we face is the job they are working on. They are digging a hole that our grandchildren will have great trouble digging their way out of. … There are better jobs to be developing, with clean energy industries to help make the world a safer place for our grandchildren.”
Canada must clean up its act in the oil sands, and stop denying the significant downside to out of control resource exploitation that only benefits a few yet leaves such a great cost for the rest of us.
Now is the time to push: thanks to Neil’s concerts this week, the media's attention is finally on the reality of tar sands impacts, and his message is reaching ordinary Canadians across the country.
Let's show the Athabasca Chipewyan and other First Nations that Canadians acknowledge their reality and want solutions for the tar sands disaster, not more denial and empty talking points. Please sign and share.
Let’s do this,
Jason
P.S. 100% of the funds from Neil’s tour are going to the legal defence fund of the ACFN, and over 1,000 generous supporters have donated to their crowdfunding website! They are ¾ of the way to their goal of $75,000. Can you chip in $10? www.HonourTheACFN.ca
Sources:
Neil Young Comments get massive support in Alberta: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/01/14/neil-young-oilsands-comments_n_4597793.html
Neil Young Responds to PMO’s Defence of Oilsands: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/neil-young-responds-to-pmo-s-defence-of-oilsands-1.2494950
How it will be delivered
We will deliver this petition to the members of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations, showing them that Canadians have their back. If enough of us sign we'll do media work around the delivery, which will help keep the attention on their struggle after Neil's tour is over.