APTN News: The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) is taking the province and Manitoba Hydro to court over their long-term treatment of Lake Winnipeg, traditionally known as Weeniibiikiisagaygun.
On Thursday, the SCO, along with four water protectors, filed a Statement of Claim seeking Charter Rights for Lake Winnipeg.
They’re demanding the lake – which serves many surrounding First Nations – be declared a living entity.
“Weeniibiikiisagaygun has unselfishly kept people, animals, and fish alive for thousands of years. Now she is dying as Manitoba Hydro profits,” SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels said in a news release. “It is time for us all to stand up for Lake Winnipeg and say no more. We must change our ways to save her life.”
After decades of artificial control by Manitoba Hydro and the province, the SCO says the lake is now on “life support”. The result is declining wetlands, contaminated fish and an influx of invasive species. It’s also increasingly difficult to harvest traditional foods and medicines, they said.
“Lake Winnipeg provides me with sustenance, income, spiritual connection and pleasure. Sadly, I can see her dying from my home and from my boat,” said Elder Emery Stagg in a statement. “I see algae, including brown algae which is the worst color. When that algae moves in, fish and other species can’t survive anymore because there’s no more life.”
Manitoba Hydro generates $3 billion a year “by using the power of water to control lake levels with man-made infrastructures”, the SCO said in the release.
Despite operating on Lake Winnipeg for nearly 50 years, Manitoba Hydro has never been required to conduct a proper environmental assessment, SCO claims.
“A report by the Clean Environment Commission more than a decade ago found, among many shortfalls, that Manitoba Hydro did not properly consider environmental protection and climate change in its planning and operations,” Grand Chief Daniels said in a statement.
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The SCO is demanding Hydro conduct an environmental assessment of Lake Winnipeg with First Nations at the table.
If the suit is successful, Grand Chief Daniels said viewing the lake as an entity with Charter Rights will require a change in thought.
“We have to think about ourselves in that lake or as that lake in ourselves. We always hear statements about how we’re composed of water, you know, that we’re of the water in many ways, and we do come from that,” the Grand Chief said during question period. “We need to get to a point where Lake Winnipeg is being respected and treated the way it should be.”
The province and Manitoba Hydro told APTN they are aware of the SCO’s Statement of Claim. Neither wished to comment further at this time.