An Indigenous group held a pro-pipeline rally in Lac La Biche, Alta., Sunday to support the oil and gas industry.
Hundreds of people brought Canada Action’s I love Canadian oil and gas signs to the Rally 4 Resources. After the indoor portion of the rally, where Indigenous children performed cultural dances, dozens of trucks hit the road in a convoy similar to the two in the Edmonton area in recent months.
The event—co-organized by the Region One Aboriginal Business Association (ROABA)—aimed to show there are Indigenous groups that support the Trans Mountain Pipeline.
“I’ve never met an Aboriginal person that is [against the pipeline], at least not in this area,” ROABA President Shawn McDonald told CTV News. “We’re just letting them know, letting Canadians know that again there’s a group here that are pulling for oil and gas. We need it.”
The Trans Mountain Pipeline hit a snag when court ruled the federal government needed to consult with Indigenous groups.
“We’re hurting. We can’t move our product; we need pipelines, and Bill C-69 and the current state that it’s in is devastating to industry, which in turn it’s devastating to Albertans,” McDonald said.
