From last year, Neil Young gives an angry speech in support of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations and other communities live at the front lines of the largest industrial project on earth. Much of ACFN’s traditional territories are home to tar sands rich deposits eyed by industry for exploitation.
Neil Young has visited our territory and seen the impacts of the tar sands first hand. That is why he has partnered with ACFN to raise money for the legal challenge of tar sands expansion and environmental destruction.
In the “Honor the Treaty” concert series this January, Neil Young and Diana Krall will perform live in Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, and Calgary. 100% of all proceeds will go to ACFN.
Neil Young will perform four benefit concerts in his native Canada to raise funds for a legal defense fund supporting the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in “challenges against oil companies and government that are obstructing their traditional lands and rights”.
Alberta oil sands
Canadian prime minister Redwood ist not amused: “He has a certain group of fans that follow him and it’s good that he’s going on tour again. … nd if he wants to support communities, then that’s a good thing, but it’s certainly not a case where there isn’t work going on, and good productive work going on, in terms of economic benefits and partnership, and that’ll continue”.
Here’s more to the debate and controvery that Neil is playing in his native country for First Nations in their fight against horrors like oil sands, tar sands:
Neil Young set to kick off Honour the Treaties tour
Shows are almost sold out, but not everyone is excited about Young’s campaign against oilsands By Angela Sterritt, CBC News Posted: Jan 10, 2014
One hundred percent of Neil Young’s Honor the Treaties concert proceeds will go to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation’s legal defence fund to fight the oil sands.
Neil Young is kicking off his Honour the Treaties concert tour Sunday at Massey Hall in Toronto, with proceeds from four Canadian dates going to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation’s legal fight against the expansion of the Jackpine oilsands project.
The First Nation is gearing up for a major legal fight after the federal government approved the expansion of Shell Canada’s Jackpine mine last month, despite an environmental assessment that said the development will cause irreversible environmental damage.
Shell received the green light from the federal government to expand its 7,500 hectare Jackpine mine to 13,000 hectares.
The company claims the enlarged mine could bring the Alberta and federal governments an estimated $17 billion in royalties and taxes over its life and create an additional 750 full time jobs.
But indigenous and environmental groups say the damage to water, land and animals outweighs any profits the addition to the oilsands site will yield.
… but politely respect him, though he and his ilk is meaning less to the power.
Canadian prime minister shoves away Neil Young’s statement:
“He has a certain group of fans that follow him and it’s good that he’s
going on tour again. But from my perspective, we as the government of
Alberta have always had a really strong partnership with bands such as
Fort Chip, and we’ve had really good economic relationships as well as
consultation relationships and we’ve seen real improvements ...,”
Redford said Monday during a year-end interview with the Journal.
who the F is Fort Chip?
Redford, who said she hasn’t listened to a lot of Young’s music, said
the rock icon’s support for the First Nation won’t affect how her
government carries on.
“It’s always important to support communities and if he wants to support
communities, then that’s a good thing, but it’s certainly not a case
where there isn’t work going on, and good productive work going on, in
terms of economic benefits and partnership, and that’ll continue,”
Redford said.
I guess this is politician blah blah and worth analyzing just the words. Polite, but firm in ignorance.
It was the last Friday in August and the radio was off in the 1959 Lincoln on the highway from Edmonton to Fort McMurray, Alta., when Neil Young first heard about the daunting legal costs facing the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in their battle against the tar sands.
The story is told at APTN National News, how Neil Young and Daryl Hannah traveled to visit members of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and learn about their battle against the tar sands.
“Really, really strong words came from him when he started talking to the chief directly,” said tribal member Eriel Deranger, who accompanied Neil. “Neil has a lot of pull in the world and he wanted to use it for some sort of good and he mentioned we should do some sort of benefit concert.”
“All the First Nations people up there are threatened by this. Their food supply is wasted, their treaties are no good. They have a right to live on the land like they always did but there’s no land left that they can live on,” said Young. “All the animals are dying. This is truly a disaster. And America is supporting this. It’s very unfortunate that this is where we get the majority of our fuel from.”
Concert lineup: Jan. 12 in Toronto, Jan. 16 in Winnipeg, Jan. 17 in Regina and Jan. 19 in Calgary.
NOTE: Although initial reports indicated tickets go on sale Today (Dec. 10), a Ticketmaster link to the Winnipeg concert says tickets for that particular show go on sale Friday (Dec. 13). The link for the Winnipeg show also indicates the price range is from $59.50 on the low end up to $260.25 on the high end. Meanwhile, the Massey Hall link for the Toronto concert says tickets (ranging from $95 to $250) go on sale Friday morning at 10:30am local time.
““I sang for justice and I hit a bad chord, but I still try to sing about love and war”” by -- Neil Young, Cincinnati 2011
Neil Young on Tour
Sugar Mountain setlists
Tom Hambleton provides BNB with setlists, thankfully. His website is the most comprehensive searchable archives on the Internets about anything Neil Young related setlists. Goto Sugar Mountain.
memphish on 
Albert Stromann on 
liza on 
Baz on 
