Little Buffalo, AB/ The Government of the Lubicon Lake Nation has filed a lawsuit against oil and gas giant PENN WEST PETROLEUM LTD. (TSX: PWT); (NYSE: PWE) late Friday following a week of protest and enforcement of a trespass related eviction order by the Lubicon Lake Nation people at a Penn West site. The assembly has been dubbed: Operation “FrackOff”: the Penn West Eviction, and began on Tuesday November 26. “The Lubicon people have sent a message loud and clear by assembling at the Penn West location to enforce our laws, now it’s up to us as their government to support them in every way we can.” Chief Bernard Ominayak said from his office this morning. The statement of claim argues that because the Government of Canada did not enter into Treaty with the Lubicon as required by Canadian law prior to developing oil and gas on Lubicon lands, the leases issued to Penn West by the province of Alberta are null and void. It goes further, stating that the development has caused irreparable harm to the Lubicon way of life, including hunting, fishing, trapping, their ability to travel in their lands, as well as their ability to use ground water and gather plants for medicines.
The statement of claim indicates that Penn West has acted in “bad faith” in their dealings with the Lubicon Lake Nation and that the Lubicon are entitled to an immediate injunction restraining any further work from continuing until the issues are resolved. As for the people assembled at the Penn West site, despite heavy winter storms and below freezing temperatures, they have unanimously indicated that they won’t be leaving until the company and the province agrees to respect the jurisdiction of the Government of the Lubicon Lake Nation over their lands.
For More Information Contact:
Councillor Dwight Gladue
Lubicon Lake Nation
P.O. Box 6731 Stn. Main
Peace River, AB T8S 1S3
(780) 625-4208 Direct
(780) 629-3939 Fax
admin@LubiconLakeNation.ca www.LubiconLakeNation.ca
Twitter: @LubiconNation