Band Council issues resolution in midst of shale gas dispute, plans reclamation day for Saturday
Mi’kmaq Band Council is urging it members to reclaim all Crown land in the midst of the shale gas dispute in New Brunswick.
It plans to hold a “reclamation day” on Saturday. “We will become steward of the land,” a resolution issued on Wednesday states.
The resolution comes one month after First Nations people began an anti-shale gas protest near Rexton, which has since been relocated to across the street from the provincial legislature in Fredericton.
The band says it felt “compelled to act.”
“Whereas we have lost all confidence in governments for the safekeeping of our lands held in trust by the British Crown; and whereas a notice of eviction from our Keptin has been totally ignored by the provincial government and Southwestern Energy (SWN Resources),” which was conducting seismic testing for shale gas near Rexton.
”Today we have instructed all our people to go out and stake their claims for land they intend to occupy,” it states.
People of Elsipogtog have received a form in the mail, asking them to sign up to become stewards, the resolution states.
