“Pipeline battle puts focus on Canada’s disputed right to use
indigenous land”
The protesters in northern British Columbia
had camped out for days amid bitter cold and deep
snow, manning a checkpoint to prevent
construction vehicles from entering the territory
of the Wet’suwet’en nation. […]
But the dramatic scenes highlighted a broader
issue for Canada in 2019: swaths of territory –
never signed away by treaty or seized in war – still
belong to indigenous nations who are fighting
back against resource projects they say they never
consented to.
Unlike the rest of the country – where
relationships between indigenous groups
and the state are governed by treaties – few
indigenous nations in British Columbia ever
signed deals with colonial authorities, meaning the federal government still operates in a vacuum
of authority on their lands, said Gordon Christie,
a scholar of indigenous law at the University of
British Columbia.“What I see is a long history of
the Canadian government doing its best to avoid
acknowledging the existence of other systems of
government,” he said. […]
In recent months, tensions with indigenous
peoples have flared across Canada as energy
companies seek to construct projects on and
through indigenous lands. Both TransCanada,
which is attempting to build the Coastal GasLink
pipeline and Kinder Morgan, which was pushing
the TransMountain pipeline, have faced fierce
opposition from indigenous groups.
“Pipeline battle puts focus on Canada’s disputed right to use
indigenous land”, Leyland Cecco, The Guardian, 2019.
Go online to find out more about the Aboriginal Canadians. What percentage of the Canadian population do Aboriginal peoples
represent?
2
What does your document show about the relationship between
Indigenous peoples and the rest of Canada?
Useful vocabulary:
Aboriginals account for… They are more likely
to… Almost half of the population… whereas only a minority…
Let's talk this out!
MEDIATION
Share your findings and learn about the other documents.
3
a. Why is the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the rest
of Canada complicated?
b. How do you think this relationship might evolve?
Useful vocabulary:
To me, it is likely that… I predict…
The situation might improve / get worse...
Toolbox
Toolbox
Aboriginal /ˌæbəˈrɪdʒɪnl/ / Indigenous /ɪnˈdɪdʒɪnəs/ (adj. or n.) → First Nations (exp.)
ask for forgiveness (exp.)
feel guilty / responsible for (exp.)
make amends /əˈmɛndz/ to s. o. / for sthg. (exp.)
(a) people (n.)
acknowledge /ækˈnɒlɪdʒ/ (v.)
admit (v.)
Grammar in Progress
Le passif
a.
Observez la phrase en gras dans le texte. Comment se compose le groupe verbal et à quel temps est-il ?
b.
Quelle différence de sens remarquez-vous avec la phrase suivante : « Treaties govern relationships between indigenous groups and the state. » ?
►Exercices p. 30 ►Précis grammatical p. 276
Let’s learn!
Tell a Canadian Tale
In groups: each member gives a word from the unit, then they work together to write a short story including all these words.
Extra challenge
Use as many passive forms as possible!
On your way to the task ❯❯ Step 2
Tweet it out!
Let’s use what you have learnt in !
Suzanne Stewart, director of the Institute for Indigenous Health, declared in the TV show The Agenda: “It’s in the interest of Canada to oppress and colonize Indigenous people in order to continue to access the resources that are on traditional lands.” React!
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