Ktunaxa Nation Interests
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FORDING RIVER OPERATIONS SWIFT PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATE APPLICATION SECTION C Ktunaxa Nation Interests Prepared by the Firelight Group Research Cooperative with the Ktunaxa Lands and Resources Agency and Teck Coal Limited December 2014 Teck Coal Limited - Fording River Operations Swift Project Environmental Assessment Certificate Application ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATE APPLICATION SECTION C: KTUNAXA NATION INTERESTS Prepared by the Firelight Group Research Cooperative with the Ktunaxa Lands and Resources Agency and Teck Coal Limited. While Firelight and the Ktunaxa Lands and Resources Agency (KLRA) have worked to accurately reflect Ktunaxa knowledge and convey Ktunaxa use, rights and interests in relation to the proposed Project, information contained in this section is a partial and limited depiction of the dynamic and living system of use and knowledge maintained by the Ktunaxa Nation elders, citizens and their governing body. The existence of the mine and all arrangements surrounding it, including this Environmental Assessment Application, are without prejudice to, and shall not be construed as defining, waiving, or limiting the Aboriginal Rights and Interests of the Ktunaxa Nation. Information contained here is provided for the purposes of the FRO Swift Project environmental assessment and is specific to Ktunaxa considerations regarding the Project. It should not be relied upon to inform any other processes, assessments, or decisions except with written consent from the Lands and Resources Agency of the Ktunaxa Nation Council. The Firelight Group Suite 253 - 560 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC V8W 3C6 www.thefirelightgroup.com December 2014 C-i Teck Coal Limited - Fording River Operations Swift Project Environmental Assessment Certificate Application C KTUNAXA NATION RIGHTS AND INTERESTS ASSESSMENT Ktunaxa Nation Interests (Section C) Concordance Table Application Information Requirements Section C First Nations Interest C1 Background Information C1 Ktunaxa Nation Background, Project Understanding and Methods C2 Aboriginal Rights C2 Ktunaxa Rights: Water C3 Ktunaxa Rights: Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector C4 Ktunaxa Rights Economic Sector C5 Ktunaxa Rights Social Sector C6 Ktunaxa Rights Lands and Resources Sector C3 Other Aboriginal Interests C7 Other Ktunaxa Nation Interests C8 Ktunaxa Perspectives on Cumulative Effects C4 Aboriginal Consultation C9 Aboriginal Consultation C5 Summary C10 Summary of Potential Effects, Mitigations and Actions C11 References C12 Glossary C13 Acronym List December 2014 C-ii Teck Coal Limited - Fording River Operations Swift Project Environmental Assessment Certificate Application TABLE OF CONTENTS C KTUNAXA NATION RIGHTS AND INTERESTS ASSESSMENT ................. C-II C1 Ktunaxa Nation Background, Project Understanding and Methods ................ C1-1 C1.1 Potentially Affected First Nations ....................................................... C1-1 C1.2 Ktunaxa Territory and Ecology ........................................................... C1-4 C1.3 Ktunaxa Understanding of the Project ................................................ C1-5 C1.4 Qukin ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa ʔaqaⱡq̓ anuxwatiⱡ and Oral Historical Context ............................................................................................... C1-9 C1.5 Ethnographic and Historic Background ............................................ C1-10 C1.6 Ktunaxa Population .......................................................................... C1-14 C1.7 Ktunaxa Governance ........................................................................ C1-15 C1.8 Methods ............................................................................................ C1-18 C2 Ktunaxa Rights: Water .................................................................................... C2-1 C2.1 Water Baseline ................................................................................... C2-1 C2.2 Anticipated Project Effects on Water .................................................. C2-8 C3 Ktunaxa Rights: Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector ....................... C3-1 C3.1 Intangible Cultural Heritage: Ktunaxa Knowledge and Language Baseline .............................................................................................. C3-1 C3.2 Tangible Cultural Resources: Ktunaxa Lands and Resources Use Baseline .............................................................................................. C3-3 C3.3 Traditional Knowledge and Language: Project Effects, Mitigation and Significance ............................................................................... C3-15 C3.4 Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector: Characterization of Residual Project Effects ................................................................... C3-20 C3.5 Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector: Significance of Residual Effects ............................................................................... C3-21 C4 Ktunaxa Rights: Economic Sector................................................................... C4-1 C5 Ktunaxa Rights: Social Sector ........................................................................ C5-1 C6 Ktunaxa Rights: Lands and Resources Sector ............................................... C6-1 C6.1 Ktunaxa Lands and Resources Baseline ........................................... C6-3 C6.2 Ktunaxa Perspectives on Lands and Resources Sector Anticipated Project Effects ............................................................... C6-15 C6.3 Lands and Resources Sector Residual Project Effects .................... C6-32 C7 Other Ktunaxa Nation Interests ....................................................................... C7-1 C8 Ktunaxa Perspectives on Cumulative Effects ................................................. C8-1 C8.1 Historical Baseline of Cumulative Effects ........................................... C8-1 C9 Aboriginal Consultation ................................................................................... C9-1 C10 Summary of Potential Effects, Mitigations and Actions ................................. C10-1 C11 References .................................................................................................... C11-1 C12 Glossary ........................................................................................................ C12-1 C13 Acronym List ................................................................................................. C13-3 December 2014 C-iii Teck Coal Limited - Fording River Operations Swift Project Environmental Assessment Certificate Application LIST OF TABLES Ktunaxa Nation Interests (Section C) Concordance Table .......................................................... C-ii Table C1.8-1 Valued Components by Sector for Fording Swift Assessment ................ C1-20 Table C2.1-1 Summary of primary Constituents of Concern in the Local Study Area ............................................................................................................ C2-7 Table C3.2-1 Reported Ktunaxa Site-Specific Values within the LSA and RSA ........... C3-12 Table C3.2-2 Ktunaxa foods harvested in the Elk Valley and Koocanusa Reservoir .... C3-15 Table C3.3-1 TKL Sector Characterization of Residual Project Effects ........................ C3-21 Table C4.1-1 Community Well-being Indices for the Aboriginal Population of the RDEK ......................................................................................................... C4-7 Table C4.1-2 Economic Sector Summary of Characterization of Residual Project Effects ...................................................................................................... C4-22 Table C5.1-1 Health Indicators in British Columbia for Status First Nations and Other Residents ......................................................................................... C5-3 Table C5.1-2 BC Housing: 2011 Census ......................................................................... C5-8 Table C5.1-3 Social Sector Characterization of Residual Project Effects ..................... C5-16 Table C6.1-1 Indicators and Metrics in Lands and Resources VC with Spatial Scale of Assessment Noted ....................................................................... C6-4 Table C6.2-1 Cultural Importance of Ecosystems Within Fording Swift Footprint ......... C6-24 Table C6.3-1 Characterization of Residual Project Effects on Ktunaxa Rights and Interest related to Lands and Resources ................................................. C6-33 Table C8.1-1 Historical Cumulative Effects Baseline for Ktunaxa Rights and Interests ..................................................................................................... C8-2 LIST OF FIGURES Figure C1.1-1 Location of Project in Relation to Ktunaxa Traditional Land Districts ........ C1-3 Figure C1.3-1 Existing and proposed coal mines within Qukin ʔamakʔis .......................... C1-7 Figure C3.2-1 Sample Image of Schaeffer’s Handwritten Notes (Glenbow Archives, M1100, File 80) .......................................................................................... C3-6 Figure C3.2-2 Reported Ktunaxa Site-Specific Values within the FRO Swift Project RSA by Activity Class .............................................................................. C3-10 Figure C3.2-3 Reported Ktunaxa Site-Specific Values within the FRO Swift Project LSA .........................................................................................................