ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS WATER RIGHTS CONFERENCE 2012 “Asserting our Rights to Water”
Monday, March 5, 2012 7:00 a.m. Registration and continental breakfast
8:30 a.m. Drum Treaty 6 drum group "Thundering Spirit" Call to Order Opening prayer: Treaty Six Lead Elder Jon Ermineskin 9:00 a.m. Welcoming remarks: Host Chief Ron Morin, Enoch Cree Nation Treaty 6 Grand Chief Cameron Alexis 9:15 a.m. Opening remarks: Bringing national attention and awareness to Indigenous water rights Portfolio Regional Chief: Regional Chief Eric Morris (YT) 9:45 a.m. Opening Remarks: Indigenous rights to water – our sacred duties and responsibilities National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo 10:00 a.m. Health Break
Monday, March 5, 2012 10:15 a.m. Plenary Panel Presentation: Advancing our Full Understanding of the Inherent and Treaty Right to Water The nature of water rights: Dr. Leroy Littlebear, University of Lethbridge Community-based struggles for water rights: Chief Eli Mandamin, Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation Exercising Indigenous Water Rights - BC: Chief Bob Chamberlin, Kwicksutaineuk-Ah-Kwaw-Ah-Mish First Nation; Vice-President of Union of BC Indian Chiefs; Andrea Glickman, Policy Analyst, UBCIC., Legal dimensions for Alberta First Nations: Clayton D Leonard, MacPherson, Leslie &Tyerman LLP
12:00 Lunch (provided on site) p.m. Presentation: The Human Right to Water - Maude Barlow 1:00 p.m. Special Presentation: IikaatowapiwaNaapiitahtaan: The Old Man River is Sacred Chief Gayle Strikes With a Gun; Iitamyapii (Looks From Above): Byron Jackson; Saa-Ku-Waa- Mu-Nii (Last Otter): Councillor Fabian North Peigan; Moderator: PiiohkSooPanski (Comes Singing), Councillor Angela Grier, Piikani Nation
1:30 p.m. Plenary Panel Presentation: Taking Action - Building our Strategies Confirming our sacred responsibilities: Ontario water declaration: (tbc)
Research and action through traditional knowledge and awareness: Greg McIvor, Southern Chiefs Organization, Manitoba Douglas Treaty Rights to Water on Vancouver Island, Chief Douglas White III Kwulasultun, First Nations Summit Task Group member, Chief of Snuneymuxw First Nation NWT Water Strategy Stephen Kakfwi, former Northwest Territories (NWT) Premier and Dene Nation President Considerations to develop a national source water protection strategy: Regional Chiefs and Audrey Mayes, AFN Environmental Stewardship Unit
2:15 p.m. Health Break 2:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions among all participants to address key questions including: What are the implications for my own community / region? What are priority actions and considerations needed to build local, regional and national strategies?
3:30 p.m. Reports from the Breakout Sessions
4:15 p.m. Moderated Plenary Discussion: Developing a strategic action plan to implement First Nation rights, jurisdiction and responsibilities to water 5:00 p.m. Closing Remarks – National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo Closing Prayer - Treaty Six Lead Elder Jon Ermineskin
Presentation Summaries
Exercising Indigenous Water Rights – The Fight for Indigenous Water Rights Presenter: Chief Eli Mandamin, Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation/Shoal Lake and Mike Myers, Lead Negotatiator
Our Nation has recently gained national attention because of our on-going water rights fight over the taking of Shoal Lake water for 100 years to fuel the growth and development of Winnipeg and ultimately the Canadian economy with no benefit coming to the Nation. Our presentation will follow the history of the theft of Shoal Lake water and the struggle to get our Nation’s water rights acknowledged and addressed. We have a 20-minute Power Point presentation and will be available for a Q and A session after. The presentation will be made by Mike Myers, Lead Negotiator for the Nation and he will be accompanied by the Chief, members of the Council and Elder.
IikaatowapiwaNaapiitahtaan: The Old Man River is Sacred Presenters: Iitamyapii (Looks From Above) Byron Jackson, Saa-Ku-Waa-Mu-Nii (Last Otter) Councillor Fabian North Peigan and PiiohkSooPanski (Comes Singing) Councillor Angela Grier
Piikani Nation historically has utilized its waters to fulfill cultural, spiritual and physical needs and rights. The development of Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District headworks spurred an onset of legal and jurisdictional discussions between Piikani and Alberta. This introduced the political, constitutional and consultation issues that were magnified by the lack of adequate consultation on the development and eventual construction of the Oldman River Dam. Through a confrontational and controversial Settlement Agreement, Piikani, Alberta and Canada sought to resolve the discussions but many issues still remain ambiguous today.
A First Nation Perspective on Water Management in Manitoba Presenter: Greg McIvor, Southern Chiefs Organizations, Manitoba
Currently active with the Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO) researching climate change and environmental issues utilizing local land and water resource users’ traditional knowledge combined with mapping and innovative technology. Results support the assertion that cumulative impacts and adverse affects of water and natural resource development from the over utilization of Lake Winnipeg and its’ tributaries have negatively affected the health of rivers, lakes, lands, boreal forests and watersheds. The nature of impacts to the traditional foods, lifestyle, culture and future of many First Nations’ communities that will be realized and created by the lack of a cooperative and inclusive sustainable water and natural resource development strategy respecting First Nations’ in Manitoba.
Speaker/Presenter Biographies
PiiohkSooPanski (Comes Singing): Councillor Angela Grier Angela is from the Padded Saddle Clan of the Aphotsi (Northern) Piikani Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy. She carries her transferred name of her late her late maternal grandmother. As the daughter of the late Sandra Grier and Ralph Grier, she is a proud mother of four. Angela is currently honourably serving a four-year term in leadership on her nation’s council. Angela is finalizing her Master’s in Counselling Psychology specializing in Blackfoot spiritual frameworks
providing psychological wellbeing. As a previous faculty member of the University of Lethbridge and a returning guest faculty member of Banff School of Management’s Inherent Right to Self Determination Program, Angela shares her areas of research pertaining to Indigenous Political Psychology, decolonization, and traditional knowledge systems, which she aims to meaningfully apply it unto her work and life. Angela resides in her traditional territory.
Mr. Stephen Kakfwi During his professional career, Stephen Kakfwi has been and continues to be instrumental in advancing the Aboriginal land and self-government rights of the Northwest Territories (NWT) Dene, Metis and Inuit. He has had a distinguished career in public government promoting NWT political, constitutional and economic development in the north, within Canada and internationally. Mr. Kakfwi’s current focus is on achieving a balanced approach to conservation and development of the north’s resources and promoting community development in NWT Aboriginal settlements.
As President of the Dene Nation from 1983-1987, Mr. Kakfwi guided discussions on a framework for Dene-Metis comprehensive claims negotiations. During his term he established the Dene Cultural Institute. On the national front, he founded Indigenous Survival International (ISI) with the assistance of national Aboriginal organizations. ISI was mandated to protect and promote the right of Aboriginal peoples to harvest wildlife and to counter the international animal rights movement and the devastation which the anti-fur lobby was having on NWT Aboriginal residents and their traditional trapping economy.
In 1987, Mr. Kakfwi made the move to public government representing the NWT Legislative Assembly’s Sahtu constituency, located in the Great Bear region of the NWT. His vision was to create a territorial system of government which incorporated the best of Aboriginal and public government institutions and practices. Stephen Kakfwi’s four terms in territorial politics, all spent serving in Cabinet, produced many of the political, economic, environmental, cultural and geo- political achievements which have made the last quarter century so remarkable for the NWT and all of its residents. Between 1987 and 1999, Mr. Kakfwi held numerous portfolios, including Education, Housing, Justice, Personnel, Safety and Public Services, Aboriginal Affairs, Resource Management and Economic Development. From 1999-2003 he served as Premier for the NWT.
Mr. Kakfwi was born at a traditional bush camp on Yelta Lake near Fort Good Hope, NWT, in 1950. He spent his early years at the camp, learning the customs of his people and developing a life-long respect for the land and its resources. Like many young Dene, he was later sent to residential schools for seven years in Inuvik and Fort Smith, both 500 miles from his family home. He remains fluent in his Dene language. Stephen Kakfwi is married to Marie Wilson. They have three children – Kyla, Daylyn, and Keenan – and four grandchildren – Maslyn, Tydzeh, Sadeya, and Ry’den.
Iitamyapii (Looks From Above): Byron Jackson Iitamyapii belongs to the Lone Fighter Clan of the Piikani Nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy. As an active participant in the Blackfoot culture, he received his name from his late Maternal grandfather Constable Henry Potts. As the eldest son of Brian Jackson and Sheena Potts, Byron attained his two degrees in Kinesiology and Native American Studies. Byron is the director of Piikani Traditional Knowledge Services. His work encompasses matters on
consultation and involvement at the Treaty Seven Sub-water Organizational level. Byron is passionate in athletics and holistic health, inclusive of his background in environmental applications, firefighting and athletics instruction.
Greg B. McIvor Greg is a band member of the God’s Lake First Nation with strong family connections in Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba. Having been taught the ways of the hunting, fishing and trapping lifestyle of our people and being able to enjoy this tradition with his father, brothers and grandfather on their family trapline and learned to appreciate the worth of a pristine environment and the impacts changes through natural resource developments have had on a way of life and culture of indigenous people and communities.
He has had the privilege to work with many First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities across Manitoba, Canada and the United States for over 25 years. He has experience in the areas of Economic Development, Government Relations, Education, Special Projects, Framework Agreement Initiative (FAI), Health, and Urban Aboriginal Strategy initiatives.
He values giving back to community with over 25 years of experience as a volunteer in a variety of sport and recreation activities - including his role as local recreation director, coordinator and host of the Northern Manitoba Sport and Recreation Association (NORMA) winter games in 1987. He has been a past volunteer member on boards and committees on NORMA, MASRC, NAIG, Louis Riel Capital Corporation and many local community organizations in northern Manitoba.
Greg is also the Sole Proprietor of Greg B. McIvor and Associates (Est. 2002) with extensive experience in undertaking community consultations, advocacy and has accreditation in Human Resource Management, Project Management and Management.
Saa-Ku-Waa-Mu-Nii (Last Otter): Councillor Fabian North Peigan Saa-Ku-Waa-Mu-Nii is the grandson of late Mr&Mrs Hartwell North Peigan, and the 4th of 6 children of the late Yvonne North Peigan. Fabian is the father of the beautiful daughters Kristy and Alyssa North Peigan (Cindy Provost). Serving his 5th term for the Piikani Nation Chief & Council, Fabian humbly dedicates his efforts to protecting and upholding the rights of the Piikani Nation Membership.
Chief Gayle Strikes With A Gun Chief Gayle Strikes With A Gun is a member of the Piikani Nation in Southern Alberta. Gayle has a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Education degree from the University of British Columbia. She had been employed in the field of education for over twenty-five years as teacher, principal, Director of Education and as Assistant Superintendent in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Currently, Gayle has completed the first of a four year term as Chief of the Piikani Nation.