Uphold Indigenous Rights: Protect Camp Morningstar
On March 29, 2022, Indigenous Climate Action stood in solidarity with Camp Morningstar – a sacred camp that has been established on Hollow Water First Nation traditional territory.
We stood alongside the community and their allies to say NO to the proposed Canadian Premium Sand Mine that would extract 1.3 million tonnes of silica sand a year for the next 30 years while exposing Indigenous peoples to toxic air quality and contaminating the groundwater. Members of ICA also joined the fight by hand-delivering an eviction notice to the Canadian Premium Sand in so-called Calgary, which is a key beneficiary of the proposed project.
Canadian Premium Sand has violated Treaty 5 constitutionally protected rights. They have destroyed a community-designated trapline, failed to achieve free, prior, informed consent (FPIC) from the Indigenous inhabitants, and have failed to comply with the conditions of the environmental license to date.
The mine is not only an insult to the Indigenous people in the region but also continues the toxic cycle that so-called Canada has been demonstrating over the past 150 years. The exploitation of Indigenous peoples, land theft, pollution of water, extraction of natural resources, and the violation of treaty rights and obligations put in place by this so-called government to oppress Indigenous people are at the forefront of this proposed mine.
This proposed mine is a threat to the Indigenous inhabitants through the high possibility of contracting silicosis, a fine silica sand particulate matter being disbursed into the air that causes lung disease. The nearby water supply, one of the community’s most significant resources, is at risk of being polluted by the leaching of heavy toxic metals into the groundwater and possibly Lake Winnipeg.
The company and province are infringing on Section 35 rights and must obtain free, prior, informed consent from the community to proceed with the project. They have failed to do so and run the risk of contaminating the groundwater and putting the Indigenous community at high risk of exposure to silicosis.
As Indigenous peoples, we have a sacred right to provide stewardship over the air, land, and water from extraction and harmful colonial practices that exploit our lands, territories, and resources for settler gain. It is up to us to show the world how to provide stewardship with the land, respect Indigenous peoples' sovereignty, and begin tearing down and restructuring the settler state of so-called Canada.
On a personal level, it was an honour to support Camp Morningstar through their struggles with the Manitoba Provincial Government and stand up against the Canadian Premium Sand Company that is extracting and exploiting Indigenous territory for corporate greed.
Jacob Crane
Engagement Coordinator
To follow along in solidarity with Camp Morningstar, find them on Facebook.
Check out news coverage on March 29th’s action.
To learn more about Camp Morningstar, watch a short film on the community here.