Nobel Women’s Initiative Visit the Tar Sands

Our Breaking Ground: Women, Oil & Climate Change delegation officially kicked off on, October 9, and we’re flying high – literally!! Follow them online from October 9-16 as the Nobel Women’s Initiative travels to the oil sands of Alberta and into British Columbia along the proposed route of the Northern Gateway Pipeline.

Led by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, the delegation is interested in learning about the impact of oil sands expansion and related tanker and pipeline projects on women and their communities – perspectives rarely taken into account by decision makers.

Yesterday, members of our team had a rare opportunity to view the oil sands from the sky. Check out our Flickr galleries to see the shocking aerials! Plus, stay tuned on our Twitter,Facebook, Blog, Flickr, and Instagram (@nobelwomen #breakingground) as we tweet, blog, post, and share photo stories from both industry and women grassroots and Indigenous leaders along the way.

Why Women, Oil & Climate Change? Click here for a video message from Jody Williams.

Breaking Ground DAY 1 – Oil sands from the air

 Click here to read the daily social media digest for Day 1

Breaking Ground DAY 2 – Meeting with women from Fort McKay First Nation Ft. Elder Celina Harper

Click here to read the daily social media digest for Day 2

Breaking ground DAY 3 – Highlights from Crystal Lameman, Beaver Lake Cree

• BLOG: Jody Williams “Into the oil sands” http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/jody-williams-into-the-oil-sands/?ref=22300
• Video: Highlights of meeting with Crystal Lameman, Beaver Lakes Cree http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/video-day-3-highlights-from-our-session-with-activist-crystal-lameman/?ref=22300
• Activist spotlight: Melina, Lubicon Cree http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/meet-melina-laboucan-massimo-indigenous-environmental-activist/?ref=22300
• Infographic Melina (see attached photo)
• Video: Sarah Harmer & power of the people! http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/video-sarah-harmer-and-the-power-of-the-people/?ref=22300

Highlights from Day 4:

• Blog: Jody Williams – Still in the oil sands http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/jody-williams-still-in-the-oil-sands/?ref=22300
• Blog: Stories from the Road – Hilary Crowley http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/stories-from-the-road-summit-lake/?ref=22300
• Blog: Women of Prince George Speak Outhttp://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/stories-from-the-road-women-of-prince-george-speaking-out/?ref=22300
• Take Action: Greenpeace Stop Pipeline Petition http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/take-action-enbridge-gateway-pipeline/?ref=22300
• Photos: Day 2 http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/day-2-in-photos-breaking-ground-women-oil-climate-change/?ref=22300
• Photos: Day 3 http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/day-3-in-photos-breaking-ground-women-oil-climate-change/?ref=22300

Also, links to media about the delegation:

• Fort McMurray Today: http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2012/10/10/nobel-laureate-touring-gateway-route
• Prince George Citizen:http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/article/20121012/PRINCEGEORGE0101/310129994/-1/princegeorge/tour-looking-to-delve-into-pipeline
• KALW Radio San Francisco: http://www.kalw.org/post/today-your-call-how-are-indigenous-people-struggling-environmental-justice

Highlights from DAY 5:

• Take Action: Support the Yinka Dene Freedom Train http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/take-action-support-the-freedom-train-and-yinka-dene-alliance/?ref=22300
• Photos: Day 4 http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/day-4-in-photos-breaking-ground-women-oil-climate-change/?ref=22300
• Video: Delegate Marianne Douglas (Climate Scientist) on climate change http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/video-delegate-marianne-douglas-on-climate-change/
• Video: Northern BC Women — http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/video-breaking-ground-day-4-women-of-northern-british-columbia/

The woman who won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for banning land mines trod onto more explosive territory this week: she kicked off her one-week tour of the proposed Northern Gateway route in Fort McMurray, Alta., U.S. activist Jody Williams is leading an all-female delegation that includes singer Sarah Harmer and climate scientist Marianne Douglas to solicit women’s opinions about pipeline development. In a video released by the tour’s sponsor, Ottawa-based Nobel Women’s Initiative, Williams explains: “In too many situations of crisis around the world, the women and their children are the ones who suffer the most when their environment is destroyed.” But she’ll get some other points of view along the way: one of her meetings was with Melissa Blake, the pro-development mayor of Wood Buffalo, of which Fort McMurray is part.”

• Blog: A story of climate change & industry in Burns Lake http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/stories-from-the-road-a-community-tale-of-climate-change-industry/?ref=22300
• Meeting transcripts: Mayor Blake http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/breaking-ground-tweet-transcripts-meeting-with-mayor-blake/?ref=22300
• Video: Sarah Harmer Defend our Coast http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/video-defend-our-coast-a-message-from-sarah-harmer/?ref=22300
• Meeting transcripts: Ft McKay http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/breaking-ground-tweet-transcripts-meeting-with-women-of-ft-mckay/?ref=22300
• Video: Women concerned about salmon/marine life http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/video-stories-from-the-road-women-concerned-about-salmon-marine-life/?ref=22300
• Photos: Day 6 http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/day-6-in-photos-breaking-ground-women-oil-climate-change/?ref=22300

• CTV Vancouver: http://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/sarah-harmer-nobel-laureate-end-northern-gateway-tour-with-a-no-1.998175
• CKNW Vancouver http://www.cknw.com/news/vancouver/story.aspx/Story.aspx?ID=1792033
• Brandon Sun http://www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/juno-winning-singer-nobel-laureate-end-northern-gateway-tour-with-a-no-174431071.html?thx=y
• CBC Power Play: (1:08:40 – 1:18:20) http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/Power+%26+Politics+with+Evan+Solomon/ID/2291750524/
• Media Release: Oil sands undermining needs of women & children http://nobelwomensinitiative.org/2012/10/oil-sands-undermining-needs-of-women-children-nobel-delegation/?ref=22300

• Market Watch: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-sands-greatly-undermining-the-basic-needs-of-local-women-and-children-says-nobel-led-delegation-2012-10-16-12173122
• Metro Vancouver: http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/405677/nobel-laureate-jody-williams-says-oilsands-undermining-womens-needs/
• Ottawa Citizen: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Junowinning+singer+Nobel+laureate+Northern+Gateway+tour+with/7398595/story.html
• Calgary Herald: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Junowinning+singer+Nobel+laureate+Northern+Gateway+tour+with/7398595/story.html
• The Province: http://www.theprovince.com/business/Northern+Gateway+Daryl+Hannah+Michael+Moore+Sarah+Harmer+join+pipeline+protest/7400310/story.html
• CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/10/16/bc-northern-gateway-spill.html
• The Province: http://www.theprovince.com/business/CHRISTY+CLARK+premier+touts+creation+record+despite+revenues/7400369/story.html
• Globe & Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/nobel-winner-joins-pipeline-opposition/article4617359/