Neil Young is accusing the Canadian government of 鈥渢rading integrity for money鈥� when it comes to Alberta鈥檚 oilsands.
Speaking at a news conference Sunday, the rock legend suggested the Canadian government is 鈥渒illing鈥� First Nations people by pushing forward with rapid development of the oilsands.
鈥淭he blood of these people will be on modern Canada鈥檚 hands,鈥� he said.
Young was speaking in Toronto ahead of the first of four benefit concerts aimed at raising money and awareness for the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation鈥檚 legal fight against Shell Canada鈥檚 Jackpine oilsands mine expansion plan.
The federal government approved the project last month despite a review panel's conclusion that the project would result in severe and irreversible environmental damage.
Shell has said it will double its bitumen production in the region to 300,000 barrels a day and the project will create 750 jobs.
Young, who said he recently visited one of the oilsands sites, was joined at his press conference by a panel of anti-oilsands activists. The panel was moderated by environmentalist David Suzuki.
The 鈥淗onour the Treaties鈥� concert will take place Toronto鈥檚 Massey Hall Sunday night, and moves to Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary later this week.
鈥淚 want my grandchildren to grow up and look up and see a blue sky,鈥� Young said, noting he instead only sees a government 鈥渙ut of control.鈥�
鈥淢oney is number one, integrity isn鈥檛 even on the map,鈥� he said.
Jason MacDonald, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, countered that "projects are approved only when they are deemed safe for Canadians and (the) environment." He added that the resource sector creates "economic opportunities" and "high-wage jobs" for thousands of Canadians.
"Canada's natural resources sector is and has always been a fundamental part of our country's economy," MacDonald wrote in an email to news organizations.
Legal challenge to come
The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and other communities living near the Jackpine mine site have said the expansion plan violates federal laws concerning fisheries and at-risk species, in addition to treaty rights.
鈥淭he government tells us that the Alberta oilsands are the largest development on the planet,鈥� Suzuki told the crowd. 鈥淎nd, of course, the economic ramifications of that are enormous. But there are also enormous social and ecological impacts, which I think have been ignored.鈥�
Chief Allan Adam, of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, raised concerns about future generations and the lack of environmental protection in Alberta鈥檚 oilsands region.
鈥淚n the last 40 years, the development that occurred on the tar sands region has gone out of proportion,鈥� Adam said. 鈥淚t is at a rate right now where your government fails to recognize the fact that we have a problem.鈥�
Eriel Deranger, communications coordinator for the ACFN, said the band has a mandate to protect its traditional homelands, located north of the Firebag River in northern Alberta.
鈥淯ntil government and industry can prove to our nation that these areas can be developed in a way that is responsible鈥nd that our rights will not be negated or molested by this development, we will continue to hold the line to stop development in those regions,鈥� Deranger said.
In a statement last month, Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq said the environmental effects from the Jackpine expansion plan are "justified in the circumstances."
However, climate scientist Andrew Weaver said the Alberta tar sands, which are the fastest growing source of Canadian greenhouse emissions, are the 鈥減oster child鈥� for environmental destruction and degradation.
And he's urging the Canadian government to find the means of developing, transporting, and reusing renewable energy to reduce global warming.
鈥淟et's unleash our home-grown Canadian innovation,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ll the solutions of global warming are within our reach, but it requires a will from our national leaders.鈥�
