1. An Overview of the NWTMN Historical Context The Northwest Territory Métis Nation (NWTMN) is comprised of the Indigenous Métis from the South Slave region in the Northwest Territories. The NWTMN is comprised of the Fort Resolution Métis Council, the Fort Smith Métis Council and the Hay River Métis Government Council. Citizens of the NWTMN form a distinct Métis Nation within Canada, with Aboriginal rights to land, resources, and government throughout their traditional territory. The Indigenous Métis of the NWTMN have a distinct history, culture and way of life. Ancestors of the NWTMN have lived on the lands along the Slave River, around Great Slave Lake and elsewhere in the Northwest Territories from the late 1700s, and have governed themselves according to their own laws and customs. Métis ancestors of the NWTMN settled in this area starting during the late 1700s, during the northern expansion of the fur trade, and intermarried with Dene and Cree families as well as with other indigenous Métis families to form a distinct Northern Métis community and culture. The Métis helped to establish communities in the Northwest Territories including the communities of Fort Rae, Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, and Fort Reliance. Since that time, the Métis of the Northwest Territories have relied on hunting, trapping, and fishing for their livelihood, while also actively participating in the European economy as traders, interpreters, guides, tradesmen, river pilots, entrepreneurs, and wage employees in a wide variety of fields. In 1996, the NWTMN signed the NWTMN Framework Agreement with the Government of Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) to commence negotiations on land, resources and self-government issues based upon the previous Dene / Métis negotiation model and have reached the AiP stage. January 9, 2014 Page 1
2. The Metis Communities of the South Slave The South Slave Metis communities have depended upon the Slave River and the surrounding ecosystems for hundreds of years. 3. Fort Resolution Built on a peninsula, Fort Resolution is just southwest of the Slave River Delta on the south shore of Great Slave Lake. In 1786 Cuthbert Grant Sr. and Laurent Leroux, of the North West Company, established a post on the left bank of the Slave River a few miles from its entrance into Great Slave Lake. Shortly thereafter, it was moved to Moose Deer Island a short distance from the mouth of the river. However, this site was abandoned in 1815, when the Hudson Bay Company established Fort Resolution on the west shore of Great Slave Lake about four miles south of the mouth of the Slave River. After the amalgamation of the companies in 1821 the fort was reconstructed at the original site. Fort Resolution is designated as a National Historic Site, due to its importance to aboriginal culture and fur trade history; it is the oldest documented community in the Northwest Territories, and was a key link in the fur trade's water route north. 4. Fort Smith In 1874, after the death of his father Old Man Beaulieu (the Métis patriarch), Joseph King Beaulieu built a new post, called Fort Smith, south-east of Salt River along the Slave River. Bishop Clut referenced this new post in a letter he wrote dating September 1874. Additionally, the Fort Resolution Post journal states, In connection with the introduction of steam boat to transport supplies and fur, Fort Smith was built and replaced the post at Salt River, which was built by Old Man Beaulieu. Subsequent to this construction, the Catholic mission from Salt River moved to Fort Smith. Fort Smith was settled on the downstream side of the Noyé rapids and was a stopping place on the transportation January 9, 2014 Page 2
system of the north when it was customary to portage around the great fifteen-mile long rapids on the Slave River. 5. Hay River The other NWTMN community of Hay River is located on the south side of Great Slave Lake (to which the Slave River flows), at the mouth of the Hay River. The original site was known as Indian Village as many Dene and Métis called the settlement of Hay River their homeland. A Hudson s Bay post was built there in 1868 and a Catholic mission followed in 1869 as well as an Anglican Mission in 1893. After 1938 the modern town started to grow at Long Island across the Hay River from the old village and was the residential base for those working at the nearby wartime U.S. airbase. After the war, with the rise of the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake, Hay River became a home port for many of the boats working the lake. The Métis largely congregated in Indian Village and Vale Island as well as Hay River proper. 6. The Importance of the Slave River and Delta This historical overview is provided to emphasize how the Slave River, including the Slave River Delta and surrounding ecosystems are essential to the traditional practices of the Métis. It is critically important for cultural and traditional uses including facilitating the ongoing harvesting of wildlife, fish, and birds; as both summer and winter transportation, and as a source of drinking water hence the following NWTMN concerns. 7. The Significant Impacts of Past Projects are Overlooked Métis Elders in Ft. Resolution and Ft. Smith who were unable to be here today have recounted how the Bennett Dam project has significantly adversely impacted their traditional activities and practices including harvesting, fishing and trapping and in many cases ended their ability to carry out such traditional activities. They highlight the changes in the Slave River Delta since the Bennett Dam was constructed, that have lead to the loss of channels and islands, changes in the river flow regime and in the ice, January 9, 2014 Page 3
all resulting in a dramatic reduction in fish population; the bird population; and wildlife. They say that some of these changes can be subtle and continue to this day, which shows how important it is to understand the baseline conditions along the entire Slave River and Delta to help understand what the future cumulative impacts of this project may be. We will also provide to the Panel two video clips from Ft. Resolution, NWT that further explaining these impacts, including an interview with Métis elder Pete King. Earl Evans a Ft. Smith elder will further talk about these changes and impacts, and further highlight Métis concerns about how the impact of Site C may combine with these impacts of past projects, potentially leading to further negative effects on traditional activities. 8. The Concern of Cumulative Impacts BCH has not addressed an understanding of the impacts of past projects and chooses to ignore a pre-development scenario. Additionally, BCH considers that there will be no impact from Site C at Peace Point, hence there are no studies further downstream from this point. However as noted above, the NWTMN continue to be impacted as they have seen dramatic and drastic adverse impacts from previous projects and cannot rely upon the predictions that there will be no cumulative impacts from this project. The NWTMN have significant concerns that the potential for cumulative effects remains overlooked and ignored, and there is a need for a good understanding of the baseline conditions so as to be able to better understand future changes. The NWTMN emphasizes that impacts from past projects continues to contribute to dynamic changes and highlights the importance of capturing Traditional Knowledge, which is being lost as time goes on. In a letter to the Crown Consultation Coordinator dated November 5, 2013 the NWTMN stated: January 9, 2014 Page 4
The Northwest Territory Métis Nation ( NWTMN ) is disputing the assertions and predictions of the proponent BC Hydro that there will be no impacts on the traditional activities of the NWTMN as we have direct evidence that the W.A.C. Bennett Dam has adversely affected our way of life in the Peace-Athabasca Delta and along the South Slave River, which are within the traditional territory of the NWTMN. The Crown cannot rely on the broad self-serving assertions of BC Hydro without making further inquiries, meeting directly with the NWTMN and funding traditional knowledge studies by the NWTMN. 9. Concerns over the Reservoir Filling Stage The NWTMN has previously communicated to BC Hydro questions regarding the potential impact of the reservoir filling stage of the project. The Reservoir Filling Plan (EIS Vol 1, Appendix B) addresses the reservoir sequence and provides Figure 1 Reservoir filling curves for various average inflows, which focuses not specifically on outflows but rather on reservoir elevations. The BCH reservoir filling plan when analyzed, shows that highly variable water releases may be expected through the fall and early winter season. Depending upon the inflow rate for the year the Site C reservoir is filling, there may be large flow increases in earlyto-mid November. Additionally, the Filling Plan does not specifically address the potential downstream impacts of the varying outflows nor does it address the potential durations of low outflows and the large variation in outflows. The NWTMN is concerned as to the potential impact of these flow variations in the critical early-winter period, and would request that BC Hydro better assess the downstream flows and potential impacts on downstream traditional activities during this filling stage. Elders in Ft. Resolution and Ft. Smith recall the impacts during the filling stages of the Bennett Dam and thus are greatly concerned. January 9, 2014 Page 5
10. Closure The NWTMN appreciates the opportunity to present these concerns to the Joint Review. In summary, we ask that the project review more comprehensively address potential downstream impacts and potential cumulative impacts in the Slave River and Delta, and that it includes a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of past projects so as to have baseline information. This is necessary so as to better understand the potential cumulative impacts of Site C on the Slave River and Delta some of which may not be evident for many years notwithstanding BC Hydro s assertion to the contrary. January 9, 2014 Page 6