Activists protest Dakota Access pipeline in Halifax

Demonstrators taking part in a protest in Halifax against the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation say there are parallels between what's happening in the United States and Indigenous and environmental issues in Nova Scotia.

Activists and Indigenous groups are camped out near the construction site of a pipeline in southern North Dakota that would send oil across four states and past the Standing Rock Reservation.

They there say the pipeline would compromise the Missouri River, the main source of drinking water on the reservation.

'Similar issues'

"Around here we're being dealt with similar issues with Alton Gas and the Shubie River," said Carole LeBlanc, one of about 150 people took part in a rally held in Halifax's Victoria Park Saturday afternoon.

Lori Walton attended the protest with her 12-year-old daughter. She said the fight happening in North Dakota reminds her of anti-fracking protests in New Brunswick.

"It's parallel all over the place. It's seems like big energy companies who get all the latitudes and the Aboriginal communities or the marginalized communities have to pay for it," Walton said.

Canada-wide demonstrations

Vigils and demonstrations in support of more than 90 protesting Indigenous tribes are have been happening in recent days across Canada.

The company building the pipeline, Texas-based Energy Transfer Pipelines, say the proposed pipeline would be safe.

The pipeline would transport 470,000 barrels of fracked, crude oil every day and create up to 12,000 local construction jobs.