The Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN), whose Treaty 8 lands are located in northeast British Columbia (BC), held a press conference and a public forum in Vancouver, BC on November 13, 2012 asking for public support and help concerning controversies over deep shale gas hydro fracking (hydraulic fracturing) by the petroleum industry in northeast BC. 

The press conference was held in the morning at the Union of BC Indian Chiefs head office in downtown Vancouver. The press release, "Stop wholesale giveaway of water to shale gas industry or face more legal challenges," includes the following quotes: "A rush by natural gas companies to acquire long-term rights to remove vast amounts of water from rivers and lakes must be stopped pending proper management, Fort Nelson First Nation warned the BC government today." "There are 20 long-term water licence applications before the province that would permit natural gas companies to withdraw tens of billions of litres of water annually from rivers and lakes in Fort Nelson First Nation territory.

The water will be permanently withdrawn and mixed with highly toxic chemicals for shale gas extraction." "We will continue to fight all water licence decisions until the Province comes to the table with local and First Nations communities to plan how we will address this new and unprecedented rush for water in our land, Chief Wildeman said."

Video by Will Koop, Stop Fracking British Columbia website, www.bctwa.org/FrackingBC.html