Trip Report
Fort Chipewyan – June 5-12, 2015
Sarah Baines, MES Candidate
View from Monument Hill, Fort Chipewyan
June 6 & 7: Exploration of Fort Chipewyan
As this was my first time in Fort Chipewyan, I spent the weekend with the PADEMP
community coordinator touring the community and taking part in the community
market on Saturday. I didn’t talk about my research specifically, but I had the
opportunity to meet many people. Preparations for
Treaty Days were also underway, and I was able
to see the construction of the celebration site.
June 8: Meeting with MCFN Elders
I spent the day with five MCFN elders, the
elders coordinator and the DDN community
coordinator, Trudy Carlson. During the meeting, I
Treaty Day Preparations
introduced my research topic and myself. The
purpose was to share information so that the MCFN
could have sufficient knowledge to decide whether they support the research. No
research activities occurred. I clarified that the research won’t involve recalculating
or redefining Aboriginal Base Flow. Rather, elders and community members will be
interviewed to understand their experiences with policy processes. The items
raised by the elders include the following:
 Interviews would be best done out in the delta.
 All elders rather than a subset should be interviewed.
 Information about the cultural flows concept being developed in Australia
needs to be shared with the community.
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Water is boss – water needs to be
viewed as at the centre of all things
because it affects the health of animals,
fish, the people, and plants.
Waterways are the highways of the First
Nations peoples, making low water
levels a problem.
Elders report that birds are changing
migration patterns
Reclamation plans such as those for the
coal mines in BC and how they may be
used in the oilsands
MCFN Elders Meeting
More information about the timing of water
releases from the dams on the Peace River is required because of effects on ice
road travel.
Disagreement between the First Nations and BC Hydro about affects of the
Bennett dam downstream of Peace Point.
The delta acts as a filter, accumulating toxins.
Suncor and Syncrude have grandfathered licenses.
Many new oilsands projects being proposed, with some reaching up to the
Wood Buffalo Park boundary
Contingency and emergency planning in the oilsands
The boom and bust cycle, and the potential for abandoned mines, are a concern.
Bottled water rather lake water is now be consumed by many.
Health of fish near the community and whether the community should eat them.
Changes in plants such as blueberries being noticed.
Community funding by INAC and Industry.
June 9: Presentation to MCFN Chief and Council
I made a brief presentation to the MCFN Chief and Council at their Administration
building and the DDN community coordinator, Trudy Carlson, introduced herself
and her role on the project. The items discussed included the following:
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Water flows need to be viewed holistically
Elders are the scientists and engineers for the First Nation
First Nations require information about the water used by the oil sands mine
and water releases from the Peace River dams.
The Council requested that acid rain be included in the study but I clarified
that I am not that type of scientist.
MCFN knowledge must be valued and appropriate compensation is required.
Honoraria rates to be reviewed.
Source of funding for the research.
The University of Saskatchewan is partnered with PADEMP.
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Gallons per minute rather than cubic metres per minute should be used
when talking about water flows.
Data collected from the First Nations is the property of the First Nations.
The Chief and Council will review the Band Council Resolution and Research
Agreement and provide a response soon.
If the Chief and Council do not approve the research, the research with the
MCFN will not proceed.
June 10: Presentation to the ACFN Elders Committee
I helped serve lunch during the ACFN Elders Committee meeting at Doghead, and
then gave a brief presentation at the end of the day. The DDN community
coordinator, Trudy Carlson, and I introduced ourselves and I briefly explained the
research. The purpose was to ask permission to conduct the research and to explain
why a Band Council Resolution and Research Agreement are being sought. I
clarified that I won’t be monitoring water levels or water quality, but will be talking
with elders and government representatives to gather information about their
perspectives on policy processes that included Aboriginal Base Flow. The elders
shared their thoughts on whether the project should proceed and government
participation in the research.
Grasses Along the Doghead Shoreline