Cree Nation Partners Keeyask Environmental Evaluation A Report on the Environmental Effects of the Proposed Keeyask Project on Tataskweyak Cree Nation and War Lake First Nation JANUARY 2012 CREE NATION PARTNERS KEEYASK ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION A Report on the Environmental Effects of the Proposed Keeyask Project on Tataskweyak Cree Nation and War Lake First Nation January 2012 Cree Nation Partners | Keeyask Environmental Evaluation Table of Contents 1.0 FOREWORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 2 3.0 THE KEEYASK PROJECT – PHYSICAL SETTING AND DESCRIPTION ................................................ 4 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 PRESENT STATE OF MAJOR WATERWAYS IN THE SLRMA ......................................................................................................... 4 3.3 THE PROPOSED KEEYASK PROJECT ............................................................................................................................................ 6 4.0 THE KEEYASK PROJECT - HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ........................................................................... 10 5.0 OUR CREE WORLDVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 16 5.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16 5.2 THE PROCESS OF DESCRIBING OUR CREE WORLDVIEW ............................................................................................................ 16 5.3 OUR WORLDVIEW AND CORE BELIEFS ..................................................................................................................................... 18 5.4 RELATIONSHIPS AS THE BASIS OF OUR EXISTENCE AND OUR CULTURE .................................................................................... 18 5.4.1 Spiritual Relationships with Mother Earth ..................................................................................................................... 19 5.4.2 Historical Relationships with the Land ........................................................................................................................... 19 5.4.3 Life Sustaining Relationships with Mother Earth ........................................................................................................... 19 5.4.4 Caregiver Relationships and the Duty of Respect .......................................................................................................... 20 5.4.5 Hunting, Fishing, Gathering and Trapping Relationships .............................................................................................. 20 5.4.6 Educational Relationships ............................................................................................................................................... 20 5.4.7 Physical Relationships: Travel, Camping, Meetings and Burials ................................................................................... 21 5.4.8 Emotional Relationships ................................................................................................................................................. 21 5.4.9 Social Relationships within the Community ................................................................................................................... 21 5.4.10 Socio-Political Relationships with Other First Nations ................................................................................................ 22 5.4.11 Socio-Political Relationships with Outsiders ................................................................................................................ 22 5.4.12 Knowledge of Ecological Relationships among Non-Human Beings .......................................................................... 22 5.4.13 Personal Property and Community Infrastructure Relationships .................................................................................. 23 5.5 TCN VISION AND LAND USE OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................ 23 5.5.1 Vision .............................................................................................................................................................................. 23 5.5.2 Land Use Objectives ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 5.6 THE MOTHER EARTH ECOSYSTEM MODEL ............................................................................................................................... 25 5.6.1 Description ...................................................................................................................................................................... 25 5.7 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................................................ 27 6.0 CONSULTING OUR MEMBERS ...................................................................................................................... 28 6.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................ 28 6.2 CONSULTATION PROCESSES AND MECHANISMS ....................................................................................................................... 28 6.2.1 Council and Elders Gull Planning Committee ................................................................................................................ 28 6.2.2 Overview of Water and Land (OWL) Process ................................................................................................................ 28 6.2.3 OWL Reference Group ................................................................................................................................................... 29 6.2.4 Keeyask Employment and Training Agency (KETA) Reference Group ....................................................................... 30 6.2.5 Keeyask External Relations Committee (KERC) Reference Group ............................................................................... 30 6.2.6 Keeyask Internal Relations Committee (KIRC) Reference Group ................................................................................. 30 6.2.7 Business Contracting and Economic Strategy (BCES) Reference Group ...................................................................... 30 6.2.8 Expert Committee on Adverse Effects ........................................................................................................................... 30 6.2.9 Meetings Preceding Ratification of the AIP ................................................................................................................... 30 6.2.10 Roundtable Meetings .................................................................................................................................................... 31 6.2.11 General Membership Meetings ..................................................................................................................................... 31 i Cree Nation Partners | Keeyask Environmental Evaluation 6.2.12 Information and Planning Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 32 6.2.13 Negotiation Meetings .................................................................................................................................................... 32 6.2.14 Youth Meetings ............................................................................................................................................................. 32 6.2.15 Summary of Consultation Meetings ............................................................................................................................. 33 6.2.16 Consultations Leading to the Ratification Votes .......................................................................................................... 33 6.2.17 Community Questionnaires and Interviews .................................................................................................................. 33 6.2.18 Websites ........................................................................................................................................................................ 33 6.2.19 Newsletters/Journals ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 6.2.20 Radio Broadcasts .......................................................................................................................................................... 34 7.0 IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – PROCESS AND RESULTS