Fort Simpson (Sep 01/06) - Water is everywhere in the Deh Cho and next week it will become the focus of a gathering in Fort Simpson.

Dehcho First Nations is hosting the Keepers of the Water gathering Sept. 6-7.

Despite having many discussions about water at leadership gatherings this will be the first conference in the Deh Cho devoted to water, said Grand Chief Herb Norwegian.

The idea for the conference came from elders. Two years ago, elders gathered in Trout Lake asked leaders to organize a meeting to bring together people to discuss the state of the water, he said.

The goal of the gathering is to discuss what's happening in the entire Mackenzie River basin watershed, much of which is in the Deh Cho territory, with regards to development. The objective isn't to stop development, but to take stock of where things are at, Norwegian said.

Participants at the conference are expected to be a mix of first nations groups and academics. Invitations have been sent out to groups as far away as Fort McMurray.

"The First Nations have a stake in this because we are the caretakers and the keepers of the water so we have a responsibility," Norwegian said.

Speakers will include representatives from the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, Ducks Unlimited, the Canadian Boreal Initiative and the Dehcho Land Use Planning office. The keynote speaker will be Margaret Trudeau, ex-wife of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and who is now the honourary president of WaterCan, a charity that works to provide clean drinking water to people around the world.

The conference is expected to provide a foundation for future discussions about solutions for protecting the water, said Norwegian.

Changes in the Mackenzie River waterbasin can already be seen locally, said Norwegian.

When he was 10, Norwegian remembers that Saturdays and Sundays were devoted to going out in boats. People would leave early to reach the good grayling spots.

At that time you could take water right out of the river and it would make tea with a trf wine red, said Norwegian. Today the water has a "glaze" on the top that remains in the tea.

Changes can also be seen on the rocks along the river banks. They are changing colours and being covered with slime. Areas that used to be full of grayling are also almost empty, he said.

Although developers are often blamed for the problems, the conference will also discuss the responsibility of individuals.

Anywhere you stop along the Mackenzie River shoreline you can find plastic bags and cans, said Norwegian. People travelling on the river and boaters have to take a personal responsibility, he said.

"People are just as irresponsible as the developers," said Norwegian.