Meeting Summary Report
This summary contains information from meetings that have been held in, Anzac, Slave Lake and Fort McMurray.
Anzac Community Hall ,September 18-19,2009
Hosted by Simon Reece and Keepers of the Christina/Clearwater. Alberta Stewardship Network[ASN] helped with funding.
This was a good weekend meeting with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) in attendance. A press release was to go out regarding Wallace and Sally’s work. Alice will work with Sally to learn the process involved in the EURB hearings. There is reluctance among the people in communities to deal with the pollution issues for fear of backlash from industry. We need a message to touch people’s hearts and bring the walls down so we can work together and overcome the splits in communities. The process of community development can be as important as the end result. A strong grassroots voice can make the Land Use Framework effective for the environment and the people. Perhaps the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Commission can be engaged.
Helene Walsh did a presentation on the LUF (Land Use Framework) she gave some history and information on the functioning of the LUF and discussed the importance of increasing the percentage of area protected from industry.
Lindsay Telfar spoke on water allocation in Alberta, she outlined the laws and how their enforcement works.
Heather Milton Lightening presented information on the IEN (Indigenous Environmental Network) and some projects they are involved with.
Mathew Whitehead talked about Mikisew Cree First Nation Environmental Monitoring Program (CEM), he explained what they do and how it works.
Wallace King and Caroline Campbell did a presentation on different methods of in-situ oil extraction and the different environmental impacts associated with these methods.
Sally Ulfsten talked about arsenic in ground water and its different forms and how it changes from relatively harmless to very toxic during in-situ oil extraction.
Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre, October 10, 2009
Hosted by Harlan Light (Smith Environmental; Association) and Doug Badger (Regional Environmental Action Committee). ASN helped with funding.
This was a very informative conference with many speakers sharing information about issues concerning the watershed.
Peter Cyprien spoke about his fears for his daughter’s future and how he is teaching her about what is happening so she can be prepared.
Alice Martin voiced her concerns about the destruction of nature and the inadequacy of restoration, she also spoke of the loss of hope in the aboriginal communities and the need to support each other in different opportunities.
Joseph Jobin the Treaty 8 water advisor and environmental manager talked about water legalities and rights associated with First Nations.
Julie Asterisk’s presentation focused on the Swan Hills Waste treatment Centre and included information on contamination associated with the centre and how these contaminants are entering the surrounding environment.
Meghan Payne, executive director of the LSWC (Lesser Slave Watershed Council) shared some of the history of the LSWC and gave a summary of some concerns the LSWC is dealing with and what they are doing to address these concerns.
Brenda Brochu a Peace River anti nuclear power citizen outlined the facts about nuclear power and why it is a major concern in the Peace River area as well as for the whole province.
Dr. Kevin Timoney presented the report “Does the Alberta Tarsands Industry Pollute: The Scientific Evidence”. This report gave the scientific perspective of the pollution problems associated with the tarsands industry as a whole including in-situ concerns. Dr. Kevin Timoney also addressed human and animal health concerns related to the contaminants associated with the tarsands. View the complete report on the Keepers of the Athabasca website.
Geoff Kershaw gave an update on the Tarsands Pollution Database Project, he described the process involved in starting the project and some of the information they found about regulation infractions and incidents involving the tarsands.
Sally Ulfsten presented on her experience with EUB hearings and problems that the oil industry is creating including the transformation of As3 to As5.
A round circle discussion ended the day with people’s responses to the general questions, “What struck you the most about the information presented today? What is the best step to take forward for the Keepers and for your community?
Fort McMurray Native Friendship Centre, November 23, 2009.
Hosted by Simon Reece and Downriver Keepers. Glasswaters and Tides helped with funding.
There was a good turnout for this meeting- aboriginal and non-aboriginal, a town developer, several industry workers, and opponents to industrial pollution. The meeting opened with round table introductions, followed by a PowerPoint designed to introduce the Keepers of the Athabasca and some possibilities for community capacity development. Two elders, Marie Adam and Celine Harpe spoke and Helene presented on the state of the LUF (Land Use Framework).
There was lively discussion throughout the day and three main concerns emerged. That CEMA (Cumulative Effects Management Association) should be made accountable to the Elders’ Aboriginal Round Table. All First Nations withdrew their representatives from CEMA with the exception of Fort McKay. The First Nations should not become involved with CEMA unless their conditions are met. The Aboriginal input into the LUF should be investigated to see how it will impact treaty rights. This point of discussion was brought up by John Malcolm who also suggested that once the Keepers of the Athabasca determine this impact they should then approach the chiefs about meeting in their communities to discuss LUF. If the Aboriginal peoples then have input into the LUF it should all be documented with full records of input so it can be followed through the government channels.
FULL MEETING REPORTS
Anzac September 18,19, 2009
Hip. I love this land and want to protect it and my children, I want to see my kids grow up. Industry and government don’t care about the land or the water or the trees. They only care about money. They don’t care if the natives die. We need a message to touch people’s hearts and bring their walls down. The racial climate between First Nations and non-First Nations has been hot for years but that can be changed, we need everyone’s participation. I believe all people have a conscience. Human beings presented with the right information in a humble and good way will have no choice but to act on what is happening here.
Helene Walsh works with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), she is a founding member of the Keepers of the Athabasca.
Land Use Framework
We need to focus on adding new protected areas while maintaining the old protected areas. There is a lot of motivation behind the government right now due to worldwide media attention. The Land Use Framework (LUF) is an all-encompassing document that includes land, air and water. The Regional Advisory Council (RAC) has 18 –20 members, which include representation from Treaty 8, Treaty 6 and the Métis. The purpose of the RAC is to gather information within the mandate of the framework from impacted people and industry, which will be developed into the policy of the LUF and not be up for review for ten years. This policy will override all other government departments including the EUB and have the final say over decisions concerning land use in Alberta with the exception of federally controlled lands.
LUF is only considering complete protection from industrial development for 20% of the Boreal Forest. The environmental non governmental group, which included Global Forest Watch, an Edmonton based scientific documentation group that studies forests around the world, and CPAWS, recommended that it is necessary to protect a minimum of 50% of the Boreal Forest to maintain its structural integrity. In the Lower Athabasca region there is 50% of the forest that has no oil reserves underneath it, but this is not necessarily the most critical habitat to protect to maintain biodiversity within this region. The traditional use areas also need to be determined and protected from industrial development. Monitoring and care of the protected areas should include native people.
Harvey Scany
As 1st nations people we have lost our sense of home, until we can regain this we are only touching the problems. The land of our people used to go all the way from Hudson Bay through Ft. Chip and north to Inuvik and Skagway. We lived by the laws of the land, honesty, trust, kindness, truthfulness, forgiveness, caring, peace and optimism. Now we have forgotten how to fill our homes with joy, power, love, patience and passion. Instead we live with frustration, discouragement, powerlessness, anger, resentment, hatred, rage, jealousy, fear, powerlessness, and suicide. We need to do something big about our lives and our children. We need to go back to learn what happened so we may know what we need to go on. This country is a sovereign nation, it has a name, it has laws, and we need to start once again living by these laws and teaching them to our children.
In the Mackenzie Valley people got up and controlled the process (Berger Hearings) of decision-making concerning their land. Here there are mixed rules, people need jobs, there are education issues, how do we develop a united front to solve the problems?
Others
All leaders Denendeh, Métis, Cree, all aboriginal leaders should have a letter from this meeting. Contact information should be kept from meetings and people informed with each other’s meetings and information. The 1st Nations should follow B.C. where they have kept their traditional rights to keep their chiefs in power if they have a strong leader representing the people. Here we elect every two years, it takes that long to learn the ropes.
Cold Lake First Nations cover a large area, the traditional use area extends north to the Christina lakes area. The whole area was the hunting area of the Cree and Dene. All the land is sensitive, this could become the trigger for a reevaluation of the land claims in Alberta, which the government hides behind. We need to bring all the first nations together for a big conference with David Schindler and David Suzuki.
We need a real Berger Commission on the question of land.
The Albert government must consult the aboriginals through public hearings, but nothing says they have to listen.
Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 need to work together through the Keepers and go to the next treaty chiefs meeting in November. Present the resolution on the land use framework through the Chiefs to represent all the nations.
Lindsay Telfar, Sierria Club
Water Allocation in Alberta
Water allocation in Alberta has traditionally worked on a first come, first serve basis. There is no limit to how much water can be allocated under the law at this time. The water laws are soon to change and there is a lot of pressure to develop market solutions, where companies and irrigation districts can own licensed allocations and sell them on the open market. Work is being done to establish water needs, outside of industrial use, for community, treaty and environmental needs. These water groups will be reporting their findings to the Alberta government in December 2009.
There are not enough personnel hired in Alberta to monitor water use so the responsibility is ours as citizens. Suspected unlicensed or illegal uses of water must be reported. Get the company name or any vehicle license numbers you can as well as determining closely the exact location and report these infractions of the law to the environmental hot line at
1-800-222-6514
Heather, Indigenous Environmental Network
EnBridge Pipeline in Minnesota and European Connections
The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) was born in South Dakota and has brought the native voice to environmental issues internationally in the US and Canada. In Minnesota IEN is fighting the tarsands pipeline being constructed by EnBridge. They were able to gain 650 signatures against the pipeline going through their land even though their leaders had accepted a payout without consulting their people. A delegation traveled to Europe to gain support for stopping the pipeline and to put pressure on the European Bank leaders to stop tar sands oil investment. The European delegations hope to put a human face to the oil issues and to connect to a global movement under the United Nations Framework on climate change.
Canada has a horrible record of human rights infractions towards their indigenous people. Native requests to stop the degradation of the earth are supported by the scientific community. An IEN delegation to highlight tarsands development will be going to Copenhagen. The Canadian government is lying about lowering tarsands emissions. Good international relations are starting concerning water, which is a concern throughout the world with climate change already being seriously felt in many parts of the earth. Canada has over 25% of the world’s fresh water.
The Keepers of the Water is a beautiful alliance of native and non-native people with strong spiritual connections to the land coming together around water issues. Those of us who benefit from treaty rights share, our sacred land is shared, but not in a way that land and animals are forced to suffer and are destroyed.
Harvey Scott
The Keepers of the Water is an opportunity for the newcomers to this land (European immigrants) to work together with the original people of this land. I’d like to thank our sponsors for this gathering The Alberta Stewardship Network. There is a need to develop a River Watch Program within the Athabasca River Basin to measure things like dissolved oxygen levels and toxins. The government doesn’t have water flow gauges below industrial takeout locations to monitor water use. We need to combine the best of contemporary science and the intergenerational knowledge of indigenous and traditional people who live on the land. What isn’t being tested that should be tested? What do we need to watch for, how were conditions historically? Compared to how they are now? We need to listen to people who live on the land. This information should be recorded on a website recording system.