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Oil and gas, Ecuador style

Fort Liard representatives hope to build ties with South America

Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Liard (Apr 06/01) - A week-long trip to Ecuador to meet with aboriginal groups on oil and gas development was a "real eye opener" for Shane Parrish.

It was a chance to talk about potential business deals too.

Parrish, chief executive officer of the Acho Dene Koe Group of Companies, and Jim Duntra, president of Beaver Enterprises, were flown to Ecuador by the Alberta Energy Company (AEC) last month. They were accompanied by First Nations leaders from Alberta that also do business with AEC, in hopes of promoting AEC's business practices as the company tries to make build business relations in Ecuador.

Parrish and Duntra met with leaders from the nine aboriginal "nations" within the country.

They also talked with the president of Petro Ecuador in Quito, the capital city. The Canadian ambassador to Ecuador was also involved in discussions, according to Parrish.

In the past, oil and gas companies have taken advantage of lax regulations in Ecuador.

"They left a mess for sure," Parrish said.

"There was a lot of oil on the ground, that kind of thing... a lot of contamination."

Although drilling has gone on for decades, the aboriginal peoples in the small South American country have been deprived of their rights to a share of the wealth from the country's resources.

"So now they're saying, similar to what Canadian aboriginal people have been saying for a number of years, that those days are over and they want to be involved," he explained.

The Fort Liard band has been very active in such things as camps and catering, heavy equipment, slashing and air transportation.

Parrish said there are possible opportunities for Acho Dene Koe in the oil and gas service sector in Ecuador too.

"We also are looking at a joint venture on drilling, maybe expanding it down to Ecuador," he said.

He noted that a visit by Ecuadorian aboriginal leaders to Fort Liard has also been discussed.