After a jam packed summer, RAVEN's back in the nest.  r33 

SEPTEMBER 2017  |  NEWS FROM THE NEST  |  raventrust.com

PAOV

We send this jam-packed end-of-summer newsletter with lots of forward-thinking RAVEN news and events for fall.
 

TURNING THE TIDES OUTDOOR EXTRAVAGANZA!

You are invited to a solidarity event in support of First Nations’ legal challenges to the Kinder Morgan and Petronas pipeline, on Saturday, September 23 from 5 - 9 PM, at Roger's Plaza in North Vancouver!! You can bid adieu to summer while sampling craft beer by Green Leaf and indulging in delicious treats from Cafe by Tao and other food vendors. Music by Ta’kaiya Blaney, Leora Cashe and Michael Vincent.

This event, including the concert, is by donation. All proceeds go toward First Nations legal challenges to the Kinder Morgan and Petronas pipelines. Get the updates on FaceBook: Turning Tides - end of summer outdoor extravaganza

MILES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

You may already know that RAVEN is part of the Air Canada Beyond Miles program - which means we can receive donations of miles to use as another way to support First Nations. But did you know that Aeroplan is currently topping up every donation by 10%, so your miles will take RAVEN travellers even farther. The miles convert immediately to flights, hotels, even car rentals for Indigenous leaders and elders when they have to travel for court.  To our 2017 donors, thank you!  With several court actions coming this fall, the miles will literally go a long way to helping cover some of those extra costs.  You can find out more here .  

MEET OUR 2017 YOUNG SCHOLARS ESSAY PRIZE WINNERS

For our 6th annual competition, first place and $2000 goes to Laura Peterson of the University of Alberta for Lake One Trail Survey, Indigenous Cultural Landscapes and Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada.  You can download and read Laura’s paper here . Second place was awarded to Marie Laing of the University of Toronto for Two-Spirit Lives and Stories as Resurgence.  You can read Marie’s paper here.  Thanks to the committed team of adjudicators: Dara Culhane, Glen Coulthard, Dawn Hoogeveen, Mike Krebs and Max Ritts.

RAVEN OFFICE-WARMING PARTY

Yea! It’s time to celebrate our new digs!! RAVEN has been growing in the past year, so we flew up two floors up to an office that actually fits 5 active fundraisers. We’ve worked hard to make our work space beautiful and would love you to DROP IN between 3 - 7PM on Friday September 29th @ #509 - 620 View Street, Victoria. Come meet RAVEN’s Board of Directors and staff, and enjoy some appies and bubblies with us. PLEASE RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

IN THE ARMS OF THE MIGHTY SKEENA ~ Ana’s Blog

This summer I was privileged to visit Gitxsan, Gitanyow and Lake Babine Nations in northwestern B.C. – communities that have all been impacted by the rush to extract and sell off resources, regardless of Indigenous consent, rights and title. Read more...

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

Pull Together - Kinder Morgan:   Thanks to you the campaign has passed the $500k goal!! The Stk’emlupsemc Te Secwepemc Nation (SSN) has now joined the campaign, so the new campaign goal is $625,000 to accommodate the larger need for funds. We're making plans for the October hearing in federal court -- scheduled to start Monday, October 2 in Vancouver and run for 9 days. Join us for "9 Days of Solidarity" during  the court challenge: RAVEN is encouraging our allies to join in by fundraising online and organizing events.  For more information:  www.pull-together.ca

Wild For Salmon/Petronas:  You will love this new video  by local director David Kiess! Contrary to popular belief, the Petronas project is not dead yet! In July, the company announced that they intend to pull out of the LNG project on the Skeena and Lelu Island, and they are now preparing to file a court application asking the judge to discontinue the Judicial Review cases. A discontinuance means that all the federal project approvals would stay in place. If this happens, issues at the heart of the case would not be heard, including key questions of Aboriginal rights consultation, the standing of Indigenous leaders, and the worrisome possibility that the project might be revived at any time in the future. The story is not over yet and RAVEN will be standing with the Gitxsan, Gitanyow and Gitwilgyoots all the way!For more information, please visit: http://raventrust.com/wild-for-salmon/

Heiltsuk Nation/Kirby spill Nathan E. Stewart:  Thank you to both underwater photographer April Bencze  and Heiltsuk First Nation Councillor Jaimie Harris for their end-of-summer Heiltsuk fundraising tour through Sidney, Duncan and Salt Spring Island. With their help, donors and supporters have now raised a total of $5500k toward the $150K goal. The Heiltsuk are taking the polluter, Kirby Corporation, and the federal government to court over the 2016 diesel spill after the Nathan E. Stewart ran aground in their territorial waters, causing catastrophic damage to the Heiltsuk food basket and  dozens of species of marine life. For more information:  https://raventrust.com/heiltsuk-step-up-for-coast-heroes/

Tsilhqot’in Nation v. Taseko Mines:  The Tsilhqot’in filed their injunction to stop Taseko’s proposed exploration in the Fish Lake (Teztan Biny) area. Then on August 10th, the federal government through CEAA also filed for a permanent injunction against drilling, stating: “There is no public purpose served in allowing Taseko to cause listed environmental effects in pursuit of a mine that has twice been denied the necessary federal environmental assessment approval as a result of unjustified significant adverse environmental effects.” Federal Government Petition to BC Supreme Court (Canada v Taseko Mines Limited, para. 45)

Taseko now says it is not moving ahead with the exploration. However, the Tsilhqot’in are still working on their Judicial Reviews. Judgment is still pending from the January 31, 2017 hearing on whether or not CEAA failed in its report, and whether the minister erred in rejecting the mine.  This file is complex; hopeful but not closed. For more information: https://raventrust.com/case/tsilhqotin-nation/

Beaver Lake Cree Nation v. Alberta and Canada: The video to be used as evidence is being shot now, and a full fundraising strategy is being developed by our amazing team alongside members of the Nation and their legal team. Stay tuned for more info, and you can read more here: https://raventrust.com/tar-sands-trial/

Lake Babine Nation – Morrison Mine:   LBN is still waiting for Pacific Booker Minerals to initiate the Further Assessment – and awaits their plan, which must be approved by BCEAO. In preparation, we took advantage of filming being done nearby in the Skeena, to shoot a short video for the Lake Babine campaign. Yes, another video coming soon! For more information: http://raventrust.com/save-morrison-lake/   

Peel Watershed – Yukon Nations:  The Nations still await a Supreme Court judgment that would, if successful, not only protect the Peel forever, but also set a strong precedent for treaty rights and land use planning across Canada. Stay tuned - we’ll let you know as soon as the Supreme Court issues their judgment.

Thank you for staying in touch and please don’t hesitate to call or email if you have questions about any of our news, or if you have fundraising ideas to share.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Susan Smitten

with Laurie, Leah, Ana, Josie, Jan, Christopher and Andrea
The RAVEN Team

PS - RAVEN will be walking in the Reconciliation Walk in Vancouver/Coast Salish Territories on September 24th.If you want to join in and walk with us, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..