First Nation upset by lack of consultation
Terry Halifax
Northern News Services
Fort Chipewyan, AB (Feb 19/01) - An aboriginal group has thrown up a roadblock to press land claim and other concerns.
Instead of erecting a physical barrier, the Mikisew First Nation have stopped work on a winter road south from Fort Smith by citing litigation over their land claim, concern for traplines and negative environmental impacts.
Work on the road was set to go ahead when the Thebacha Road society was told the First Nation would not let the road cross their land.
Chief George Poitras said the Mikisew have opposed the road plan since the band council met with its members last October.
After that meeting the band sent a letter of opposition to Josie Weninger, superintendent for Wood Buffalo National Park.
He said the band was left out of further consultation.
"Where were we in these discussions?" Poitras asked. "Neither the roads society nor Parks Canada had approached us to identify our concerns."
The proposed road would run west along the Peace River from the band's reserve at Peace Point, Alta. to Garden River.
The Mikisew settled their land claim in 1986, but have outstanding litigation dealing with a number of issues, including Bill C-31 for membership classification and the Natural Resources Transfer Act. Poitras only found out the road work was about to begin when he was in Fort Smith to visit his grandmother.
"We feel they have missed a very important link in the decision making process."
The Thebacha Road Society has selected an alternate route and will submit the revised plan to parks for environmental assessment.
Poitras said the new route would still impact the traplines that extend outside the reserve.
"We can't understand why they are going against the whole value of conservation in the park," Poitras said.
"We believe there are some contradictions going on here."
Nine of the ten trappers along the route were opposed to the road, he said.
If completed, the road would only be accessible to the people of Fort Chipewyan while the winter road from Smith was open.
Poitras said while the band does see economic benefits, they do not believe road is a priority.
He added there are also negative social impacts that come with roads.
Poitras has called for a meeting with Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps and Tom Lee, CEO of Parks Canada, to discuss the road plan.
