The Lubicon Land Claims

The Lubicon Lake Nation has lived on traditional Lubicon lands in Northern Alberta for many years. However, when the demand for oil increased because of the growing economy, Deep Well Oil and Gas leased the traditional Lubicon Lands from the province of Alberta, and began to clear the forest in this area. The province had leased the land to Deep Well Oil and Gas, even though the Lubicon people lived there. The Lubicon Lake Nation protested this action for legal, territorial, and environmental reasons.

In 1939, the government of Alberta visited the Lubicon Lake and decided that the Lubicon's were entitled to a reserve. However, WWII interrupted these plans, and the Lubicon reserve was put on hold. Some years after the war ended, the government discovered a large oil reserve at Lubicon Lake. Due to this find, they were unwilling to give the Lubicon's a reserve like they had promised. Instead, about 400 oil wells were dug on this land between 1979 and 1982. After about 70 years, the Alberta Government still refuses to give the Lubicon's their reserve.

The Lubicon Lake Nation has lived at Lubicon lake for about a century. They have raised many generations there, and that is where their roots are. When Alberta's government found oil on that land, they went in and started digging, practically kicking the Lubicon nation off of the land that they have lived on for many years. They disrupted their way of life. Although the Lubicon's never officially owned the land, it should have rightfully been theirs, since the government went back on their promise to the Lubicon's.

When 400 oil wells were dug between 1979 and 1982, they were dug within 24km of the Lubicon community. This disrupted the Lubicon's environmentally in a very big way. The moose population died down considerably, causing the local trappers to go from about $5000-$400 in their sales. This loss of income resulted in over 90% of the people living on social assistance. In 2005, when Deep Well Oil and Gas began clearing forest for oil wells, they caused many environmental problems as well such as a loss of natural habitat. They came in and ruined part of the land after they broke their agreement to put the Lubicon's on a reserve.

The Lubicon Lake Nation has lived on that land for over a century. They have tried over and over to get a reserve for themselves, but the government has kept putting this off because of the large oil supply on their land. The Lubicon's have been hurt legally, territorially, and environmentally because of the government. They have been there a long time and they have been ignored for a long time. I think that Lubicon lake Nation has been through enough, and they deserve a reserve.