Metis must pay, treaty Indians don't

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The Fort McKay Infrastructure Corporation will begin work on a $4 million water and sewage project this summer at Fort McKay.

Under the Indian Act, Fort McKay treaty Indian residents, will get running water and sewage facilities in their homes. But the 22 Metis families that live on 623 acres of leased crown land in the community will have to pay for the same facilities.

Ian Faichney, one of the family members and a member of the advisory council of the Red River Point Society, which represents the Metis community of Fort McKay, says that "It is going to be hard on the Metis families here because they just don't have the money to put water and sewage pipes into their homes."

According to Des Broadhurst, Improvement District 18, North Manager, the same situation is occurring in Janvier, Anzac and Conklin where there are large Metis populations.

But, Broadhurst points out that the treaty Indians, at any of these areas, get financial support from the federal government. The Metis people must rely on their own pocket book and funds from the Improvement District, which receives monies from provincial government grants and the tax payers' dollar.

"It's never been a question of give to one and not the other," said Broadhurst, explaining the two-year water and sewage project at Fort McKay. "Water points will be put at intervals on the main road running through McKay, where the Metis population can get water from."

Broadhurst adds the water source for the project will come from the Ells River (13 km north of Fort McKay) because, "the water is probably the best quality that is accessible to that area."

Although the Athabasca River is closer to McKay, its water would need a more costly water treatment methods than water in the Ells River.

"There's nothing running into the Ells River," said Broadhurst, adding industrial waste from surrounding tar sands refineries, pollutes the Athabasca River.