The struggle of the Lubicon Cree to affirm their idenity

  • Signing of Treaty 8

    Lubicon Cree are missed by treaty commissioners.
    Treaty 8 allows first nations to have land and resource rights.
  • Finding of Oil on Lubicon Cree Land

    It is discovered that oil is on the land that the Lubicon Cree live on. This motivates the Government to ask about the land and takeover.
  • Road through Lubicon Cree land

    In order to get the oil out of the land, the Albertan government builds an all-weather road through the Lubicon Cree land without the Lubicon's permission. The government doesn't care about the Lubicon because they have no land rights.
  • The Lubicon Cree try to fight back

    The Lubicon Cree try to file a complaint against the misstreatment of their land. Alberta refuses. The fight goes to a court.
  • The Lubicon Case is dismissed

    Another similar court case appears to show that the law is in favour of the Lubicon Cree. Then the government changes the law governing caveats. The Lubicon Cree case is dismissed.
  • Road is finished

    The all-weather road is completed.
  • Lubicon Cree take the case to Federal Court

    The Lubicon Cree take their case to the federal court. There they request a declaratory judgment on their land rights. The Albertian government tells them that it is provincial land and serves no purpose as a reserve. Lubicon residents go under persecution for their fight (fines and demolition).
  • Lubicon want an Immediate Stop to Extraction

    The Lubicon Cree request an emergency court injunction to stop further oil and land extraction on their land.
  • Deaths of the Unborn

    Out of 21 Lubicon pregnancies, 19 result in stillbirths or miscarriages.
  • United Nations steps in

    United Nations studies the Lubicon case for three years. The UN Human Rights Committee tells Canada to stop the damage done to the Lubicon Cree land. Canada ignores the demand.
  • Lubicon try to be Peaceful

    After 14 years, the Lubicon take back their court action. They peacfully block the oil activity for six days. Then RCMP officers force the block open. The Alberta government makes a deal for a certain amount of reserve land (243 km2).
  • Canada is charged with human rights voilation

    The United Nations charge Canada with human rights violation. This is because of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This law stated that the developments of oil plant is threatening the Lubicon way of life and Culture.
  • Rupture of the Rainbow Pipe

    One of the pipes on the Lubicon land erupted. Oil went into the forest and muskeg. Schools were shut down for one and a half weeks. Everyone was sick. This pipe line was 45 years old.
  • Lubicon Cree land claim remains outstanding

    The Lubicon’s land claim remains outstanding. The Government of Alberta continues to lease out Lubicon territory to corporations that destroy and ruin the land.
  • Oil spills and deaths over the years adds up

    • Deaths of wildlife and people (children, babies, and elderly)
    • Polluted water and air
    • Dead Ecosystems.
    • Forest fires in oil spill areas.
    • 4.5 million litres of oil spilt over the years
  • Struggle continues

    The Lubicon continue to fight for their land. They now have the support of many organizations.
    $1.4 billion goes into oil and gas, while these people continue to struggle.
    Until justice is served these people will not give up on their land.