oki = hola Lorraine Idlenomore ClairIdleNoMore updates on Blockades, rallys, protests Nation wide New Brunswick is NOT for sale Appearing now on Irving Online media... Warriors hindered talks, says regional chief ADAM HURAS Legislature Bureau 05 Nov 2013 FREDERICTON – Assembly of First Nations regional Chief Roger Augustine says the actions of First Nations warriors have hindered talks between the provincial government and native communities on how to move forward with natural resource development – including the exploration of natural gas. Augustine spoke to a room of roughly 150 people made up mostly of energy sector leaders at an annual exploration, mining and petroleum conference on Tuesday in Fredericton. He said aboriginal communities can be “best partners” with industry, urging those in attendance to “go out there and make money with First Nations.” But in addressing the ongoing anti-shale gas standoffs involving the Elsipogtog First Nation, Augustine referenced confrontations in his own community he faced as chief of the Eel Ground First Nation roughly two decades ago – where he told First Nations warriors to leave his community. “ ‘I cannot do my job with your group here, with your warriors here,’ ” Augustine recalled saying, referencing fishery and forestry issues the divided the community. “ ‘I am asking you to leave.’ ” Augustine later said that the warriors likely led the violent clash in mid-October where six police vehicles were burned and RCMP responded with pepper spray and fired non-lethal beanbag-type bullets to defuse the situation. “There was a lot of intelligence coming out of that saying that there were other people from the outside coming in,” Augustine said. “Outside the country too, that were there for a while and they might have even made things worse instead of better. During the protests, burning police cars, that may have been outside forces. Assembly of First Nations regional Chief Roger Augustine is pictured speaking at an exploration, mining and petroleum conference in Fredericton on Tuesday. Photo: Adam Huras/Telegraph-Journal Hide Caption Previous Next “When you work with them, when you ask them to assist, it’s pretty hard to ask them to leave.” Augustine stopped short of calling on Elsipogtog Chief Aaron Sock to tell warriors to leave the community, stating that he believes the warriors who remain have its best interests at heart. “The only thing that could help things now is for SWN to take some time,” he said. “Maybe 30 days or whatever it takes to sit down and reorganize and talk things over (with the First Nations community.) “I think they should continue to talk to the leadership there and the part that the province of New Brunswick plays is also very crucial. I think they have a responsibility to mediate discussions with SWN and the chief as well as the rest of the chiefs (in New Brunswick).” But Augustine stated that if that doesn’t work, little else can be done. “SWN can go ahead, but it is going to create a very dangerous, dangerous war,” he said. “I know that they can’t leave or don’t want to leave, but all I’m saying right now is ‘let’s talk things over.’ “If the warriors, Elsipogtog Chief Aaron Sock, the protectors from that community are adamant that no fracking or industry can come in, you can’t avoid a crisis.”
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 23:06:04 +0000
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