By Nigel Maxwell

YouTube video sheds light on protest

Dec 10, 2014 | 10:41 AM

A new video posted on YouTube provides a behind-the-scenes look at a protest in northern Saskatchewan.

Keith Shewchuk, who lives in La Loche, is behind the documentary. Like many others he had read the news articles online. His curiosity got the better of him and he traveled up to the protest site, roughly 10 kilometres (kms) from the community.

Shewchuk sat down and talked with the group comprised of elders, fisherman and trappers. They’ve been there about three weeks and are speaking out against exploration in the area.

“I just really felt like they really have strong words to say and I wish there was an avenue for them to get the word out,” he said.

Shewchuk then called a few of his friends and headed back to the protest site. He said the main reason for doing the video was its sentimental value.

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“About 27 years ago I was a young man, way back then, and I participated in a couple of roadblocks that the late Armand Murray and Clifford Clarke had organized. At the time the government had declared Clearwater River a provincial park without consulting the local trappers and fishermen in the area,” he explained.

Shewchuk said it’s a bit strange they are dealing with the same issues years later.

The protest has remained, for the most part, peaceful. Last week RCMP served an injunction to the group and a trailer that was blocking the road was towed away.

“Although I support the protest I was not a big fan of the timing of the blockade, especially with the cold weather and Christmas coming soon,” said Shewchuk. “It’s a very sensitive subject because it divides people—unfortunately our own people. Either you are for industry or you’re against it. If you work for industry it’s a job and it gives you the opportunity to provide for your family, so I understand the frustration of the local people that weren’t able to work for the first 10 days,” he said.

That being said, Shewchuk added there are a lot of people in the area who are unemployed and there a lot of people who use land for its traditional use. He also said there are environmental issues to consider as well as a number of land claim issues.

“I don’t have the answers or solutions, I can only hope that more good comes out of this video than negative,” he said.

Less than a week old, the video has more than 900 views.

A spokesperson for Cenovus, one of the industries in the area, has said it is not exploring or producing anything; it is trying to improve the site. The company has planted more than 100,000 trees.

The RCMP is not intervening. A spokesperson for the RCMP told paNOW that the protestors are not doing anything illegal at this point and there have been no confrontations.

news@panow.com

On Twitter:@nigelmaxwell