Canadian Indigenous groups protest at UN climate summit in Copenhagen

 
While government officials appeared to go to ground, non-governmental organizations have had a high profile - or at least as high as Danish authorities would allow. One website worth tracking for Canadian grassroots participation at the Copenhagen summit is pitchengine. Several organizations joined indigenous groups earlier this week in a day of protest against Canada's record at the Alberta tar sands. Among comments at their rally outside the Canadian embassy:

Fossil fuel extraction from the tar sands are killing our people with cancer, killing our culture by destroying our traditional lands, and killing our planet with CO2,” said Eriel Tchekwie Deranger, member of the Athbasca Chipewyan First Nation and Tar Sands Campaigner for the Rainforest Action Network. “It seems that Canada is more committed to fossil fuels than human rights or real action for the climate. Mr. Harper – We welcome you to Copenhagen because we want real action on climate, and that means shutting down the tar sands and a moratorium on new fossil fuel development.”

"The tar sands are a key reason why Canada has failed to take climate action. In the same timeframe that Harper promises to cut Canada's emissions a paltry 3 per cent, tar sands emissions are expected to triple,” said Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians.