Cumberland House Cree Nation Chief Rene Chaboyer wants a seat at the table after the province failed to consult him before announcing a $4 billion irrigation project earlier this month.
Chaboyer aims to collaborate with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) to push that consultation process forward. As of Monday, however, 鈥渨e haven鈥檛 been consulted,鈥� he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 not totally against the irrigation project, but they should consult with us.鈥�
Announced on July 2, the massive irrigation infrastructure project at Lake Diefenbaker is expected to finish construction in 10 years. It aims to roughly double irrigable land in the province, allowing farmers in west-central and southern Saskatchewan to grow higher-value crops like beets, potatoes and lettuce.
The province estimated this would boost GDP by $40 to $80 billion over the next 50 years. It planned to consult with First Nations as the project progressed.
Water Security Agency spokesperson Patrick Boyle said the project hadn鈥檛 fully started and Cumberland House and FSIN would be consulted.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really at the start. We haven鈥檛 moved forward from that end of things. There鈥檚 a view of where we want to go and we know that these larger projects here are the future,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e certainly want to consult with all parties involved.鈥�
Chaboyer said he wanted consultations beforehand, not after the fact. He鈥檚 concerned that the project鈥檚 water management could contribute to the drying-out of the delta in Cumberland House, risking traditional practices and livelihoods.
His calls to build a coalition come as his community faces flooding that鈥檚 threatened the properties of local outfitters. For him, that shows that ifwater isn鈥檛 properly managed, it 鈥渃ould bring devastation to our livelihood up in the Cumberland area,鈥� he said.
While consultations won鈥檛 be completed in one sitting, he鈥檇 like to see it in operation 鈥渟ooner rather than later,鈥� he said, noting there have to be further meetings between the land users and other affected residents.
鈥淲e certainly don鈥檛 want to be giving up any more than what we receive.鈥�
The impact鈥檚 not limited to Cumberland House and other First Nations in Saskatchewan, noted FSIN Vice-Chief Heather Bear.
After conducting early research, the FSIN found the project could have effects as far away as Manitoba and Alberta, which would make the project more suited to the federal government, she said.
She wrote to Water Security Agency minister Greg Ottenbreit to express her concerns, but hasn鈥檛 received a response yet, Bear said.
The project requires 鈥渇ree, prior and informed consent鈥� before work begins, Bear noted.
鈥淚t seems like we don鈥檛 hear about (projects) until they鈥檙e announced.鈥�
She plans to meet with Chaboyer by this weekend, while further meeting with concerned elders and knowledge keepers, she said. She wants negotiations to begin as soon as possible.
鈥淭ime and time again, it seems these projects move forward, thinking that they can go ahead and do these thing without consultation.鈥�
