Criticism levied against First Nations, Metis engagement for water conversations

Jesse Cardinal is concerned that the province’s approach to water discussion is an indication that the government already has a plan in place that will see water made accessible to industry and water licence holders at the expense of First Nations.

“Two groups of people are saying they have first rights to water, treaty people and license holders and obviously the government is siding with license holders because the government is the one that created that (system) but they also have a part in creating the treaties. So there’s a real big contradiction happening here,” said Cardinal, a spokesperson with the Keepers of the Athabasca, an organization comprised of Aboriginals, environmental groups, and public focused on protecting the Athabasca River Watershed.
Water was allocated under a system created in 1894 known as First-In-Time First-In-Right in which water licenses were issued to those who settled the west. Water rights are now associated with land and those water rights pass with the land.

But, points out Cardinal, First Nations people were on the land far before European settlers came.

The fact that the province has engaged in two separate talks – one for the general public and another for First Nations and Métis – does not sit well with Cardinal.

“Why are we working in silos? Why aren’t we bringing this all under one to hear what each other has to say?” she asks.

Cardinal attended a stakeholders meeting in Bonnyville at the end of February. She says the information she provided as a concerned First Nations person was not included in the summary presented by Alberta Environment Sustainable Resource Development host.

The department has scheduled 20 province-wide discussions along with 10 stakeholders meetings and six meetings with Métis and First Nations people.

Cardinal holds that consultations are a farce noting that at the end of February, she still wasn’t aware of when and where a scheduled March 4 meeting for First Nations was to take place.
“How is that meaningful conversation? People don’t even know it’s happening?” Cardinal asks. “And we’re not clear on who’s participating.”

Department spokesperson Jessica Potter says invitations will be issued to Chief and council who will then pass the information on to members.  However, she did not know if sessions were open to the entire First Nations membership, nor did she know which Métis organizations were receiving invitations.

“We’re specifically ensuring that First Nations and Métis are engaged,” said Potter.

Potter says the first meeting took place with “some” Treaty 7 representatives on Feb. 25 and resulted in a request for one-on-one meetings to “discuss the policy further.”

Potter says there is a specific group within the department who work on Aboriginal engagement and they would be conducting the separate meetings.

The same survey that is online and available to the general public will be used to lead discussions with Aboriginal groups, says Potter. The survey focuses on four areas: healthy lakes; hydraulic fracturing and water; drinking water and wastewater systems; and, water management.

“There are four priority areas we are looking to gather feedback from,” said Potter. “And just like we said with the public sessions, people are welcome to bring whatever issues they feel are needed to the table.”

The 15-question survey has been slammed by Alberta interest groups as being unclear with its intent.

That is also a concern voiced by Cardinal.

“What are these water conversations leading to? Be clear. Is it possible policy or legislation? I think they have a plan,” she said.
To address what the Athabasca River Watershed sees as a lack of information, the organization is hosting a conference on March 22 at the University of Alberta.

Potter says the water discussions with the First Nations and Métis will be held during the same time frame as the general discussions.

All the information gathered will be presented in a report in the late fall, says Potter. However, she did not know whether information or concerns would be attributed to specific groups.