Momentum for RAVEN Trust
Project Goal: $500
#miikomomentum
RAVEN Trust is a registered charity that raises legal defense funds to assist Indigenous Peoples who enforce their rights and title to protect their traditional territories.
RAVEN'S vision is a country that honours the ancestral laws, rights and stewardship values of Indigenous Peoples and their equitable access to the justice system within a thriving natural environment.
What is RAVEN Trust doing to nourish their community?
RAVEN’s mission is to provide access to justice for Indigenous Nations. Supporting the assertion of the inherent and constitutionally-protected rights of Indigenous Peoples is a powerful pathway towards reconciliation and environmental justice. RAVEN has raised millions of dollars to back some of the most groundbreaking legal challenges of our time.
Watch this short video to learn more and RAVEN Trust and their work:
Learn more about RAVEN’s current campaigns
TSILHQOT’IN
Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) has been a sacred place of spiritual renewal for countless generations of the Tŝilhqot'in. This beautiful area is integral to the health of the last major Fraser River salmon run. The territory is also rich in gold and copper — resources ruthless mining companies aim to exploit.
Taseko's New Prosperity Mine was dealt a death blow by the Supreme Court of Canada on May 14, 2020 when it upheld the federal rejection of the mine project. However, Taseko is still pursuing a major exploratory drilling program with provincial approval. The extensive drilling would severely damage Teztan Biny and the surrounding area.
The Tŝilhqot'in have launched a civil action against Taseko and B.C. for infringement of Aboriginal rights.
SECWEPEMC
Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation is going to court to secure Aboriginal title to unceded traditional territory in interior B.C.
HEILTSUK
Heiltsuk Nation is taking an oil shipping company, Canada and British Columbia to court over a catastrophic diesel spill in their territory from the Nathan E. Stewart, a tug-barge that had carried oil through Heiltsuk waters despite Heiltsuk prohibition of oil transport through their marine harvesting areas.
WET’SUWET’EN
The Wet’suwet’en are defending their unceded territory (Yintah) from Coastal GasLink’s (CGL) liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline. The Dinï ze’ and Ts’akë ze’ (Chiefs) wholeheartedly oppose the CGL project, which would turn pristine forests and salmon streams into a fossil fuel corridor.
The Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs have launched two separate legal actions to defend their rights and title from unwanted industrial activity, and to hold the governments of Canada and British Columbia accountable to climate commitments for future generations.
STOP SITE C DAM
West Moberly First Nations is pursuing a legal challenge against British Columbia, BC Hydro and Canada for infringement of constitutionally protected rights under Treaty No. 8. West Moberly is asking the court to stop construction of Site C dam and order BC Hydro to restore the Peace River to its natural state.
SALMON DEFENDERS
Homalco and Tla’amin Nations are headed to federal court to secure the removal of salmon farms from their territories. They will be facing four salmon farm companies that are challenging Canada’s recent decision to phase out all open-net salmon farms in the Discovery Islands by June 2022.
NESKANTAGA
Neskantaga First Nation are headed to court to challenge the government for failing to fulfil its duty to consult on the main north-south mining road being built to the “Ring of Fire”. This major industrial access road will fragment intact boreal ecosystems and bisect Neskantaga territory: this will have massive repercussions on the Nation's rights to hunt, fish and carry out their traditional culture on the land and waters.
DEFEND THE TREATIES – BEAVER LAKE CREE NATION
Beaver Lake Cree Nation is taking on the oil sands – one of the world’s largest and most carbon-intensive energy developments. Oil sands extraction has poisoned water, eliminated whole forests, and decimated traditional food sources for the Beaver Lake Cree people.
How can a donation help RAVEN?
The $500 micro-grant will be donated directly toward RAVEN Trust, which is currently the only registered charity in Canada working with Indigenous Nations to defend their rights with access to the courts by raising legal defence funds.
Having the financial and moral support of the RAVEN community allows Nations to take on —and sustain — groundbreaking challenges through to victory.
Learn more about RAVEN Trust via the links below!
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/raventrustorg
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/raven_trust/
Website → https://raventrust.com/
Twitter → https://twitter.com/RAVENtrust