Allan Adam

Chief Allan Adam is the Chief of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in northern Alberta, Canada.[1][2][3] He has served as Chief since 2007.[4] Before becoming Chief, Adam had served as a band councillor since 2003, with responsibility for housing issues.[5]

Political views

In 2015, Adam, along with the leaders of several other First Nations, spoke out against the First Nations Financial Transparency Act.[6]

Environmental views

Adam has advocated against oil sands development,[7] having coordinated efforts involving prominent climate activists such as Greta Thunberg and Leonardo DiCaprio.[4]

In 2014, Adam brought suit on his own behalf and on behalf of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation against Canada's Minister of Environment and Shell Canada in relation to Shell's proposed expansion of the Jackpine Mine oil sands project, located near Fort McMurray, Alberta on the lands of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. Adam alleged that Canada had breached its duty to consult and accommodate by allowing the proposed expansion to go forward in spite of significant environmental impacts from the project.[8] The Federal Court dismissed his action.[9]

In 2015, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, under Adam's leadership, brought a legal challenge against the Grand Rapids pipeline, then under construction by TC Energy.[10]

In August 2018, Adam was the keynote speaker at the Arctic Indigenous Investment Conference held in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where he spoke in favour of developments such as the Trans Mountain pipeline.[11]

2020 arrest

In June 2020, a 12-minute police video was released showing an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police tackling Allan to the ground, punching him in the head and putting him in a choke hold after Adam repeatedly antagonizing and disobeying the first police officer's instructions to remain in the vehicle while conducting an investigation into a possible impaired driver. Adam had been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer in connection with the incident, but the charges were later dropped.[12]

The video drew media attention to systemic racism in the policing of Indigenous communities in Canada.[3][13] Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed 'shock' and ordered investigations.[14][15]

References
  1. "Canada indigenous chief battered during arrest". BBC News. 2020-06-13. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  2. Porter, Catherine; Bilefsky, Dan (2020-06-12). "Video of Arrest of Indigenous Leader Shocks Canada". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  3. Porter, Catherine; Bilefsky, Dan (2020-06-12). "Video of Arrest of Indigenous Leader Shocks Canada". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  4. Weber, Bob (2020-06-12). "'Born leader': Contradiction is Alberta Chief Allan Adam's strength". National Post. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  5. "Chief and Council". Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  6. Wohlberg, Meagan (2015-08-24). "Athabasca Chipewyan defends non-compliance with FNFTA in court". Northern Journal. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  7. Dinshaw, Fram (2015-11-04). "Allan Adam wins re-election as chief of Athabasca-Chipewyan First Nation". National Observer. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  8. Craik, Neil (2016). "Process and Reconciliation: Integrating the Duty to Consult with Environmental Assessment". Osgoode Hall Law Journal. 53 (2): 667–668. 2016 CanLIIDocs 4298 – via CanLII.
  9. Adam v Canada (Environment), 2014 FC 1185
  10. Weber, Bob (2016-09-19). "Alberta First Nation revives lawsuit over Grand Rapids pipeline". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  11. Winkler, Marc (2018-08-10). "Chief urges Indigenous business leaders to support Trans Mountain pipeline". CBC News. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  12. The Canadian Press (2020-06-24). "Charges dropped against First Nations Chief Allan Adam in violent arrest". CBC News. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  13. "Greta Thunberg calls video of Chief Allan Adam's RCMP arrest 'very disturbing to see'". Global News. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  14. News; National (2020-06-12). "New video shows RCMP tackling and punching Alberta chief Allan Adam in arrest | National Post". Retrieved 2020-06-13. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  15. Foreign Staff (2020-06-13). "Justin Trudeau 'shocked' by video of indigenous chief being punched by police in Canada". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
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