The trucks rolled through Lac La Biche and Plamondon, the sound of traditional rolled through the Bold Center and the sentiment of Sunday’s Rally 4 Resources rolled out to capture in the hearts of many area residents affected by the current economical slump.
“We are in a crisis,” said Lac La Biche County Mayor Omer Moghrabi to a crowd of about 200 people the pro-oil and gas rally that took over the fieldhouse and parking lot of Lac La Biche’s Bold Center on Sunday.
Spearheaded by the Lac La Biche-based Region One Aboriginal Business Association with the help of Calgary-based CanadaAction, the event had the full support of the Lac La Biche County council, the Lac La Biche and District Chamber of Commerce and the local Community Futures office.
Regional support.
Traditional Aboriginal dancers from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation entertained a crowd of around 200 at Sunday’s R4R rally
The event, thought to be the first pro-pipeline event organized by an Aboriginal group, was also endorsed by several Indigenous groups from the region, with representatives saying the entire country needs to show support for the oil and gas industry.
“It is wonderful to see this and an honour to be a part of this,” said Jane Stroud, the Ward 4 councillor for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo that takes in Conklin, Janvier and Gregoire Estates, raising hope that the economy can be improved with more shared efforts like the rally. Saying the Fort McMurray fire of 2016 that forced the evacuation of 80,000 people to the current economic slump, Stroud said the Lac La Biche region was a valuable supporter for many northern families.
“People like you and places like Lac La Biche really stepped up to the plate and that will never be forgotten — and once again we find ourselves facing adversity,” she told the crowd. “...We are only as strong as our neighbours.”
The idea to continue to forge relationships within communities reliant on the oil and gas sector was a common theme during the two-and-a half hour rally.
Rene Houle with Goodfish Lake First Nation’s Development Corporation said hundreds of full time jobs are filled by members of his community thanks to partnerships with oil and gas companies. He said what started out as a local operation to wash coveralls for Suncor, has grown into a Goodfish-based manufacturing business that now makes coveralls. He said the partnership with industry has helped his community grow and prosper.
“With the investment and partnership of the oil and gas sector, we have managed to build a healthy community, healthy lives, independence and self-reliance,” he said, going further to say that the partnerships have created better lives in general for his community members. “We are not a burden on the social systems or the judicial systems.”
To continue to create those kinds of success stories, Lee Thom, a councillor on the Kikino Metis Settlement says more co-operation needs to happen. He saw the rally as a great place to start.
“What ROABA has done here today, and all the people who have made this happen, is to bring us all together. One voice, and that voice is a voice of change,” he said.
That change, says area MP David Yurdiga has to come from the conversations of the people affected — and not from groups and organizations hiding behind untruths.
“There are paid activists who say negative things about our industry,” said the Fort McMurray-Cold Lake Member of Parliament, saying the Alberta advantage of the oil and gas industry should be Canada-wide. “We don’t need foreign oil on our shores ... We need a Canadian solution.”
A 'little' political
Lac La Biche St. Paul MLA David Hanson said the federal and provincial governments need to stand up for Alberta’s oil and gas sector.
Although the rally was billed as a non-political rally, Hanson, a UCP opposition member in the provincial Legislature, leveled blame for the current economic situation on government policy.
“This isn’t about the price of oil, it’s about provincial and federal policy ... We need to send a strong message that we don’t believe they are having our backs at the moment.”
Call to Action
CanadaAction representative Steve Rennick told the crowd the next step is up to them.
“Write to your politicians, send letters to Canadian senators,” he said, adding that a petition on his group’s website has already gathered 50,000 signatures from Canadians who want to see more pipelines, more markets for Canadian oil and gas, and a pause on proposed federal legislation that industry officials fear will add more restrictive development hurdles to their industry. “It is your individual voices that are going to change things and make a difference.”
Shirts were given out during the rally, along with stickers and licence plate holders by a dedicate crew of local volunteers.
ROABA president Shawn McDonald said he was hoping to see some more people at the rally, but thought that the cold weather could have kept some away. He was pleased with the event, and hoped the message would travel outside the region as several news crews from large media networks were at the rally.
“The message will get out,” he said. “We have enough people here to send our message.”
To see the online petition at CanadaAction, click HERE
