[3] The colonial governments of Alberta and Canada authorized hundreds of projects or developments representing thousands of individual authorizations related to "oil and gas, forestry, mining and other activities" on Beaver Lake Cree Nation core lands, covering a large portion of northeast Alberta and falling outside the boundaries of any Indigenous reserve including within its territory, the Cold Lake Weapons Range.
[6] The Clearwater Lake Punctate, believed to be ancestral to the Cree people, is a ceramic container made during the late prehistoric period, dated to between 250 and 1100 years before present.
There is one example in the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec that was found on,[7]Whitefish Island on Amisk Lake, Saskatchewan in 1950s by Gina Sewap, of the local Cree First Nation.
Examples of this pottery have also been found on Black Fox Island on Lac La Biche[9] and on the shores of Wappau Lake, 90 kms north of BLCN.
[10] The BLCN included their history on their official webpage and in a legal document, regarding the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Project[2] The traditional lands of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation were on the historical voyageur route that linked the rich Athabaskan region to Hudson Bay.
[11] David Thompson founded a trading post on Red Deers Lake, which is now known as Lac La Biche,[12] in 1798-99 and overwintered there, entering copious notes in his diary on the Nahathaway (Cree), their customs, traditions and the Western Boreal forest including this passage,[13] plenteous supply of white fish and beaver.
[12] The Cree, one of the "largest tribes in Canada" was referred to by the early explorers and fur traders as Kristineaux, Kinisteneaux, Kiliston, Kree, Cris and various other names such as Nahathaway.
It is noted in the department of Indian Affairs Annual Reports that Pee-ay-sis of the Lac La Biche band as far north as Great Slave Lake.
[17] Chief Pee-Yas-See-Wah-We-Cha-Koot, also known as Pee-ay-sis, or Pee-ay-sees and Councillor, Pay-Pay-See-See-moo signed the adhesion made to Treaty 6 at Fort Pitt on 9 September 1876, on behalf of the Beaver Lake Band No.
This report contains detailed maps describing sites where "[A]boriginal groups practice traditional trapping, hunting, fishing, berry picking and plant harvesting activities throughout the region.
The governments of Alberta and Canada authorized "300 projects or developments" representing 19,000 individual authorizations" related to "oil and gas, forestry, mining and other activities" on Beaver Lake Cree Nation core lands, covering a large portion of northeast Alberta and falling outside the boundaries of any Indigenous reserve including within its territory, the Cold Lake Weapons Range.
Many environmentalists and activists have celebrated the BLCN's efforts to press for ongoing treaty rights and to preserve their lands from tar sands development.
Traditional territory has been carved into a patchwork quilt, with wild land reduced to small pieces between roads, pipes and wires, threatening animals like woodland caribou that can't adapt to these intrusions.
Klein's bestselling book, This Changes Everything and the Avi Lewis film of the same title both focus on the BLCN's claims with regard to treaties, rights, pollution, and sustainability.
In 2008 they issued a declaration, asserting they are the legitimate caretakers of these lands (which includes part of the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range and extends into Saskatchewan).
[36] On 14 May 2008, the Beaver Lake Cree released the "Kétuskéno Declaration",[35] "Kawîkiskeyihtâkwan ôma kîyânaw ohci Amiskosâkahikanihk ekanawâpamikoyahk ôhi askiya kâtâpasinahikâteki ôta askîwasinahikanink âhâniskâc ekîpepimâcihowâkehk".
[37] They alleged that development from the oil sands, forestry and the local municipal government infringes upon the First Nation's 1876 treaty rights to hunt, trap and fish[38] Among other resources they foregrounded a native map as evidence.
Colin Baines, Campaigns Manager at The Co-operative Group described the Beaver Lake Cree Nation legal action as "perhaps the best chance we have to stop tar sands expansion".
The Co-operative Group sponsored a trip by then-Chief Al Lameman and other senior members of Beaver Lake Cree Nation and their legal counsel to London to officially launch the 'Toxic Fuels' campaign in February 2009.
This resulted in widespread media attention with major features in The Guardian,[43] Financial Times[44] In July 2009, a team from the BBC accompanied representatives of The Co-operative Group to Beaver Lake to document their visit.
[46] In September 2010, then-Chief Lameman returned to the UK as guest of honor for the launch of a major photographic exhibition on the oil sands called 'Tarnished Earth',[47] in which the BLCN legal challenge featured.