SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Greenpeace has never had an easy relationship with communities in Canada's North, but that is something the environmental organization is hoping to change.

Farrah Khan, a Greenpeace Arctic campaigner, protests outside the legislative assembly during a meeting of the Arctic Council in Yellowknife last month. Greenpeace is currently trying to mend its "fractured relationships" with Northern aboriginal communities. - photo courtesy of Diego Creimer

During a recent visit to Yellowknife to protest the meeting of the Arctic Council, representatives from Greenpeace told Yellowknifer the organization was making a conscious effort to mend its "fractured relationships with Northern First Nations" so that they could work together to protect the environment.

First on the agenda is dispelling notions that Greenpeace opposes traditional hunting, especially with regards to the seal hunt.

Jessica Wilson, Greenpeace's Arctic team leader, said that idea stems from an admittedly misguided campaign from the 1980s - an anti-harp seal hunt in the North Atlantic - which it no longer supports.

"We're at a place where we're saying we're here to listen rather than repeating the mistakes of the past," said Wilson.

"It's about showing in a very public way that we support indigenous people's right to defend their traditions," added campaigner Farrah Khan.

With the growing interest in Canada's oil and gas reserves in the Arctic from oil companies, Wilson said the need to have united action among Northerners is as important as ever. She said the Harper government is welcoming oil companies with open arms, pointing to a $100 million investment to support geo-mapping for mineral extraction in northern B.C., which was announced last year.

"Subsidies to oil companies are criminal. It's actually incredible to me that this is still going on," said Wilson.

As an example of the damage that can be done, she pointed to Russia where 32 million barrels of oil is spilled every year, with more than four million barrels making their way into the Arctic Ocean every 18 months.

Just recently Greenpeace helped the indigenous people of Russia's Komi Republic secure a $20 million settlement from Lukoil for damages to their land. Greenpeace's goal in Canada is to prevent those disasters before they happen.

"(What happened in Russia) is very much the after-side of oil development," she said.

Although Greenpeace campaigners understand the need to create jobs in the North, they believe governments should be investing in development that is less "risky" than oil and gas projects. Greenpeace recently commissioned a study on alternatives to oil and gas in Greenland, with a focus on indigenous communities. The study found that tourism, fishing, and non-invasive mining could provide sufficient support to local economies without damaging the environment.

"If (the Canadian government) took that $100 million away and put it toward non-invasive mining and tourism I think you see some different results," said Wilson.

It's clear that some Northerners are willing to listen to Greenpeace - approximately 25 people showed up to the organization's community event held at the Northern United Place in Yellowknife last month.

Kathleen Roberts, who was in attendance at the meeting, said she has noticed the impact that the oil and gas industry has had on Norman Wells, where she lives.

"I have noticed the difference in the wildlife," she said. "I hardly see a fox there anymore. They practically used to walk home with me."

Greenpeace is planning to come back up to Yellowknife to run more workshops and community meetings in the fall covering a wide range of topics.

"Not everyone has to climb an oil rig to save the Arctic," said Wilson.

They also hope to bring a delegation of indigenous people from the Komi Republic in Russia to communities across the North to talk about the impact the oil industry has had on their way of life.

"If we can't stop these oil companies from going in, and draw the line as a human race, then where are we going to stop it?" said Wilson.

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