Canadian First Nations at COP 15 Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Stephen Harper in Rally at Canadian Embassy

Copenhagen (ots/PRNewswire) - PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:
Indigenous Peoples Ceremony, Oily Footprints, Welcome Mat, Giant
Banner, Rally and Gift Basket Delivery to Canadian Embassy

"Harper: Climate Commitments (equal sign) Shut Down Tar Sands"

Photos and Video: Coming soon at http://pitch.pe/37846

Indigenous Peoples of Canada and their allies from around the
world are in Copenhagen for the UN summit on climate change.

Today they rolled out the "welcome mat" for Prime Minister
Stephen Harper at the Canadian Embassy in Copenhagen.

This action was part of a global day of action against the
Canadian tar sands.

The tar sands are the largest and most carbon intensive
industrial project on the planet.

Indigenous leaders of communities impacted by the tar sands and
allied campaigners contend that Canada hasn't kept Kyoto commitments
and hasn't ratified the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP) because of the half-trillion dollar investments the
massive tar sands development represents.

In a gesture of hospitality for the Prime Minister and an act of
solidarity with communities directly impacted by the tar sands,
Indigenous representatives and their allies delivered a gift basket
full of Treaties for Prime Minister Harper to honor and/or sign in
Copenhagen.

These included important documents such as the Kyoto Protocol,
First Nations Treaties and the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.

"As Indigenous People, we are here at the international climate
negotiations to speak about threats to our cultural survival and the
direct life-threatening impacts of climate change in our
communities," said Clayton Thomas Muller, Tar Sands Campaigner of
the Indigenous Environmental Network.

"Canada has been blocking the climate negotiations and hasn't
kept Kyoto commitments or ratified the UNDRIP because of the tar
sands."

"Fossil fuel extraction from the tar sands are killing our people
with cancer, killing our culture by destroying our traditional
lands, and killing our planet with CO2," said Eriel Tchekwie
Deranger, member of the Athbasca Chipewyan First Nation and Tar
Sands Campaigner for the Rainforest Action Network.

"It seems that Canada is more committed to fossil fuels than
human rights or real action for the climate. Mr. Harper - We welcome
you to Copenhagen because we want real action on climate, and that
means shutting down the tar sands and a moratorium on new fossil
fuel development."

"The tar sands are a key reason why Canada has failed to take
climate action. In the same timeframe that Harper promises to cut
Canada's emissions a paltry 3 per cent, tar sands emissions are
expected to triple," said Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the
Council of Canadians.

Today's action is part of a global day of action organized by a
coalition of groups including: Indigenous Environmental Network,
Rainforest Action Network, Council of Canadians, Indigenous Peoples
Power Project, and UK Tar Sands Group.

Actions are occurring in tandem with the Copenhagen events in
London (UK), Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver and all across
North America.

About Indigenous Environmental Network: Indigenous Peoples
empowering Indigenous Nations and communities towards sustainable
livelihoods, demanding environmental justice and maintaining the
Sacred Fire of our traditions. http://www.ienearth.org/cits

The Indigenous Environmental Network is in Copenhagen for the
duration of COP 15.

Copenhagen Media Line: +45-526-85596

For further information: Contact: Clayton Thomas-Muller,
Indigenous Environmental Network, +45 52685598,
indigenous.environmental.network@gmail.com; Eriel Deranger,
Rainforest Action Network, +45-50119390, ederanger@ran.org; Brent
Patterson, Council of Canadians, +1-613-882-4408 (mobile in
Copenhagen), bpatterson@canadians.org; Jess Worth, UK Tar Sands
Campaign, +44-07946645726, jess@newint.org

ots Originaltext: Council of Canadians
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information: Contact: Clayton Thomas-Muller, Indigenous
Environmental Network, +45 52685598,
indigenous.environmental.network@gmail.com; Eriel Deranger,
Rainforest
Action Network, +45-50119390, ederanger@ran.org; Brent Patterson,
Council of Canadians, +1-613-882-4408 (mobile in Copenhagen),
bpatterson@canadians.org; Jess Worth, UK Tar Sands Campaign,
+44-07946645726, jess@newint.org