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Canada’s abundant energy resources provide First Nations with opportunities to end poverty and achieve economic self-sufficiency. So why do environmentalists want to stop them?

The federal government’s Oil Tanker Moratorium Act would ban crude oil tankers on the coast of B.C. – and as a side effect, prevent over thirty local First Nations from reaping the benefits of their traditional lands.

First Nations leaders are fighting back.

The Indigenous backers of the proposed Eagle Spirit pipeline project have put forward a Parliamentary petition calling on the government to withdraw the tanker ban, which they say was announced without proper consultation with First Nations communities.

Eagle Spirit’s Chief’s Council has also launched a GoFundMe campaign raising funds to fight this ban in court.

They state, “We have and will always, put the protection of the environment first, but this must be holistically balanced with social welfare, employment, and business opportunities.” Imposing a tanker ban without the consent of First Nations communities, they argue, violates the Crown’s obligations set out in the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples; the Constitution Act, 1982; and the government’s own commitment to reconciliation.

You can sign the petition here.

To support their legal battle, you can donate to their GoFundMe here.