July 28, 2015 – The Peoples of the Driftpile First Nation, Treaty NO. 8 Territory are hosting one of their many cultural camps throughout the seasons. This culture camp however is to teach the children and youth about our ways of life out on the lands prior to the massive amounts of clearcutting proposed by West Fraser and Millar Western.
“It is important to teach our children about our way of life, on the lands and in our territories before forestry comes in to destroy what we have left,” said Ross Giroux Sr., Culture Camp Supervisor. “It is also important to highlight to all people that we are here to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, like the trees, the moose, the bears, the wolves, the medicines, the berries, our Mother Earth,” added Councillor Rodney Chalifoux, of the Driftpile First Nation.
Driftpile First Nations will highlight through teaching and ceremony, that we are all affected by the forestry and other industries on our lands that also impacts our air and waters, our medicines and our berries. As Driftpile peoples, standing with our neighbors, the Lesser Slave Lake North Country Community Association, we wish to draw to the attention of all Canadians and Albertans that we oppose the clearcutting occurring in Treaty No. 8 Territory. The Driftpile leadership and its peoples are highly concerned about the lack of enforcement of existing regulation and practice by contractors and forestry proponents when operating in our territorial lands. The Driftpile First Nation has conveyed its standards to the Province of Alberta on fundamental changes that need to take place.
“We invite the Premier, Rachel Notley and her Ministers to come out to the Culture Camp, to learn about and to see first-hand what reconciliation looks like and how we honour our way of life. We also invite the Province to meaningfully address the concerns we outlined in my letter to the Honourable Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry”, said Chief Dean Giroux, Driftpile First Nation.
Driftpile First Nation is located on the south shore of Lesser Slave Lake, and is a signatory to Treaty NO. 8. The leadership of the Nation represents over 2000 members.