Conawapa Hydro project

[Fox Lake Cree Nation]

News Release -- May 7, 2008
Fox Lake Cree Nation

AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine and Manitoba Cabinet Minister Eric Robinson said Monday that the Conawapa Hydro project shouldn’t go ahead until Fox Lake’s outstanding issues with Ottawa are resolved.

“I’ve always stood by the people of Fox Lake with respect to Conawapa and I want to tell you publicly that I will continue standing by that position that Conawapa will not happen until these grievances are settled by Ottawa in particular,” said Robinson.

Fox Lake is calling for Ottawa to acknowledge its liability for impacts of Hydro development starting in the 1960s, which were made worse by the federal government’s failure to provide a Reserve in what had previously been their home community of Gillam.

“Fox Lake first. Conawapa second. This is what it’s going to be all about,” said Fox Lake Chief George Neepin to a rally of about 200 Fox Lake Members gathered on Highway 290 near Fox Lake’s home community at Bird. “We have to send a clear message to Canada that Conawapa and all these other developments in our Traditional Territory will not go ahead until they deal with Fox Lake.”

National Chief Phil Fontaine echoed Chief Neepin in expressing support for Fox Lake: “I like what Chief Neepin said. I think it’s very important. Fox Lake first, Conawapa second. No Conawapa unless Canada settles. Your cause is right. Your fight is about justice, and I want to make very clear that we support your position.”

Fox Lake Cree Nation held the Information Rally at its home community in Bird near Gillam, Manitoba to bring attention to the federal government’s outstanding obligations. In attendance were Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine, Manitoba Cabinet Minister Eric Robinson, and Churchill M.P. Tina Keeper, as well as AMC Grand Chief Ron Evans, MKIO Grand Chief Dr. Sydney Garrioch, and KTC Grand Chief Arnold Ouskan.

Earlier in the day in Gillam, Fox Lake made a presentation detailing how in the 1960s the federal government denied the Fox Lake people the land base they were entitled to in Gillam. Fox Lake was then swept out of the way to build Manitoba’s three biggest dams: Kettle, Long Spruce, and Limestone. The federal government has never acknowledged its responsibility in this.

Remarkably, Fox Lake Cree Nation was not a signatory of the Northern Flood Agreement, the historic 1970s agreement between Canada, Manitoba, Manitoba Hydro and five northern First Nations over northern Hydro flooding. In 2004, the Province of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro concluded an Impact Settlement Agreement with Fox Lake Cree Nation over impacts of past Hydro projects. However, the federal government has never acknowledged its role, which could have major implications for planned future developments like Conawapa.

“Many of our people now live off-reserve in Gillam,” said Chief Neepin earlier. “If they’re going to have the support they need to deal with the influx of workers we expect from Conawapa and other projects, we need a Reserve in Gillam. Manitoba Hydro has acknowledged this in discussions with us, but if it’s going to happen the federal government will have to accept its responsibility for what was done to Fox Lake in past decades and work with us.”

Neepin is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the federal government to immediately begin negotiations to acknowledge their responsibility for past wrongs to Fox Lake Cree Nation and allow the selection of additional Reserve lands within Gillam and elsewhere.

Fox Lake Cree Nation is located on the lower Nelson River and many of its members live and work in the town of Gillam, about 700 km north of Winnipeg. Much of Fox Lake’s traditional territory, including homes, cultural sites and gravesites, were flooded during the construction of the Kettle Rapids Generating Station in the 1960s. Fox Lake members living in and around Gillam were relocated under duress to accommodate the influx of workers during the construction of Kettle Rapids and other dams near Gillam.


Fox Lake is also now engaged in negotiations with Manitoba Hydro to participate in development of the proposed Keeyask Generating Station, just west of Gillam, and the proposed Conawapa Generating Station, downstream of Gillam in the Fox Lake Resource Management Area.

Contact: Chief George Neepin, Fox Lake Cree Nation (204) 486-2463