Hunting for Hydrocarbons: Representations of Indigeneity in Reporting on the New Mackenzie Valley Gas Pipeline

摘要: Energy production is, without doubt, a subject of enormous economic importance and public interest in North America. Consequently, energy topics are widely reported American Canadian news media. This article provides comparison analysis newspaper reporting about one megaproject: the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project. The central feature this project, if it goes ahead, will be 1,220 kilometer natural gas pipeline to move from sparsely populated River Delta Canada's Northwest Territories market. Project is currently under simultaneous regulatory review by National Board (NEB) specially convened Joint Review Panel (JRP). latter charged with considering environmental social effects project for communities along route. Because affected largely indigenous, so five seven members panel. process has taken longer than initially anticipated, but expected wrap up end 2007 result governmental approval project. clear major hurdle decades-long drive companies develop these reserves. story concerns diverse set issues, including protection regulation, health northern indigenous communities, security, financial commodity markets, corporate investments profits, integration United States Canada, international relations, consumer among others. Yet been framed narrowly as struggle between proponents opponents development. Significantly, reporters have both puzzled at pains explain readers positions several that appear times support oppose There two key points coverage. First, not recognized part "public" thus do hold whether or built. Rather, presented either obstructions opportunists both. Second, interests multinational corporations aim build profit development rarely mentioned. I became interested generally, peoples specifically, after reading stories U.S. papers: Christian Science Monitor (Walker 2001) New York Times (Krauss 2003a). focus was supposed incongruity aboriginal participation In Krauss's account, driven into an unholy alliance developers animal rights campaigns activists. Using language intended remind hunters, Krauss describes having "snared native populations sanctions" labels their accusations against environmentalists "having hit like harpoons soul." He completes image primordial hunters modern world visual metaphor, photograph dog sled moving across tundra; background looms oil derrick. photo caption reads: "A symbolic scene Canada. Their livelihoods danger, Native Canadians welcoming oil, mining interests." Walker's story, which far more positive, ways northerners learning work industry. It, too, cannot avoid allusion hunting: accompanying shows Inuk (singular Inuit) standing beside snowmobile. …