Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Sep 10/01) - The Lockhart River runs like a circuit cable through Chipewyan culture; a 30-kilometre ribbon of crystal water funnelled from the East Arm of Great Slave Lake to Artillery Lake.
Blueberries grow like weeds along the banks and the only human scent comes from the charred remains of fire pits.
 The Lockhart River is an integral part of Chipewyan culture and it is also on the list of six rivers the territorial government wants to use for hydro development. - Jorge Barrera/NNSL photo |
This place is eons away from anything. Here the rotting tree trunk marks the passing decades and rock marks the passing centuries and the river runs forever.
But water can be spun to money on the spinning wheel of necessity because it lasts forever.
The territorial government, facing huge costs with First Nations self-government looming, needs to find money. This past summer Joe Handley, the territories' minster of economic development, hit the road pitching a $26-billion plan to harness the potential energy of six Northern rivers-- including the Lockhart.
The project could bring in $6.6 million in annual revenue and would use "Run of the River" power generation which doesn't require conventional dams but uses the river's own current.
"We're setting up a complex system of self- government, there has to be away for us to be self sufficient," Handley said in an interview with News/North.
Sitting in a tepee smoke house, dried caribou flesh hanging from the rafters, a smouldering hearth sending grey plumes up through a hole in the canvas, Archie Catholique, chief of the Lutsel K'e Dene Chipewyan band said he would never allow development of the Lockhart.
"Not as long as I am chief," he said.
Catholique says the Lockhart River is an integral part of the Chipewyan identity, too important to be marred by development.
Stephen Ellis, the band's wildlife, lands and environment co-ordinator, echoes that view.
"I think it's unbelievable they're proposing it," said Ellis. "It's the last place people here would want to develop."
Handley said the proposal is at it's conceptual phase and he's testing the waters of community sentiment. His next round of concept-selling will come this winter when he will sit down with First Nations leaders.
"The next road is to look at it with more detail," said Handley.
He said the Dogrib, South Slave, and the Sahtu have already shown interest. Handley said some projects, like those with the Dogrib and the South Slave bands, will move quicker than the rest.
Handley said the government doesn't have enough money to foot the bill for the project and is turning to the private sector.
The government wants the private sector to invest and own the projects and sell the power to Northern communities and southern customers, said Handley.
"We'd then charge a levy," said Handley.
The government is batting around a one cent per kilowatt-hour rate.
Handley said three corporations--Calgary-based Enbridge, Regional Power Corp of Ontario and ATCO-- are currently eyeing the project, but others are also interested including multi-nationals.
Jim Rennie, a spokesperson with Enbridge, said "very high level" talks between his company and the government have taken place.
"There's nothing specific," said Rennie. "We're letting the government know we are an energy company and if there is an opportunity in hydro we want to be part of the discussion."
But wooing the private sector scares some people who think it will swing the North American Free Trade Agreement gates open.
NAFTA is trade agreement between Mexico, US and Canada which makes it easier for corporations to move resources and money between countries.
"We're going to have a hard time imposing regulations in terms of favouring Northern companies and hires," said Ben McDonald, spokesperson for Yellowknife-based Alternatives North.
"Under NAFTA, if an American or Mexican corporation comes in and feels regulations hurt their profits, they could challenge us," said McDonald, noting that Articles 7 and 11 of NAFTA support that right.
"We'd be turning the flow of the rivers over to corporations," said McDonald.
Handley said he foresees no control problems under NAFTA.
But back on the shores of McLeod Bay, near the mouth of the Lockhart River, international trade agreements are the furthest thing from the minds of the Chipewyan. What matters is the river.
"Building on the Lockhart River would be like driving a spear through the heart of the Chipewyan," said Ray Griffith, Lutsel K'e resident, to the nods of others sitting on blankets spread over the grass inside a canvas tent and the smell of wood smoke.
