Dene raise concern over Bullmoose winter road
People are against it: YKDFN Chief Edward Sangris
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Northern News Services
Friday, November 25, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Stacey Sundberg-Drygeese's voice shakes when she talks about what will be lost if the proposed winter road to Bullmoose Mine goes through.
The Ruth Mine site, shown here, is one of the seven sites to be remediated. - photo courtesy of Ryan Silke |
She is a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and her family in Dettah has been harvesting, camping, fishing and trapping in the area for decades.
"That's where we play with our kids and go out on the land," she said. "They're probably not going to have that experience if that goes through, because that's our backyard. Being there our whole life, I just can't just give it up that easy."
The Mackenzie Land and Water Board will make a decision on the project early next month.
Sundberg-Drygeese has given written statements to the board, urging those on it not to approve the road.
"I think the main concern is people going out there and disrespecting the land. We've seen it other places, people go out there, they leave their beer cans, garbage," she said.
"Anything could happen and that's what we're worried about. There's already enough stuff that we're worrying about on the Ingraham trail, why make another road that's further into the bush, why contaminate more of that?"
She's not alone. Yellowknives Dene First Nation Chief Edward Sangris said other members don't want the road.
"People are against it, because we have enough squatters already ... It's a no brainer," he said.
"I don't know why they're still pushing for it."
He said many people use the area to hunt, trap and fish. In a winter road user group meeting held by the Department of Indigenous Affairs Canada (INAC) on July 19, the department said there will be "tight controls" in place to ensure the environment is protected. But Sangris is skeptical.
"They don't do what they say," he said, adding the Yellowknives Dene plan to write a letter to the board expressing these concerns.
Bruce Hewlko, president of the Great Slave Snowmobile Association believes concern about problems caused by increased traffic might be unfounded.
"They're building the road down to rock and ice, which is not the easiest to snowmobile on," he said.
"It probably will open the area up, but it is a long way from town ... People have been snowmobiling in that area for a long time. At this point in time to say that snowmobilers are going to ruin the area, I think is a little premature."
The road itself is primarily being constructed to help transport material to and from the remediation sites, according to INAC.
"Hazardous waste, possibly including waste-petroleums, asbestos, and lead-based paints could be shipped via the winter road for disposal at approved facilities," stated Shawn Jackson, a communications officer for INAC.
Once in Yellowknife, the waste would be received by KBL Environmental, and disposed of.
"Should it proceed, the Bullmoose winter road will be built using industry best practices and project controls to ensure the health and safety of workers and the public is protected, and the local environment is not adversely affected," stated Jackson, adding these controls were presented at the meeting on July 19.
This is another thing that concerns Sundberg-Drygeese.
"Once it's contaminated, or one small truck goes through that ice ... there's potential risk," she said. "There's like a lot of fresh meat, a lot of fresh fish out there, and we don't want to risk that just because this road wants to go in."
