By Jorge Barrera
APTN National News
The Tsuu T’ina Nation says a First Nations water bill proposed by the Harper government would leave its people parched in the midst of a major water shortage crunch.
Alberta has been termed as a “bellweather” region in the global crisis over water scarcity and the Tsuu T’ina Nation reserve, which borders the southwest city limits of Calgary, finds itself fighting with the industrial, agricultural sectors along with neighbouring municipalities over an increasingly dwindling resource.
During a presentation before the Aboriginal affairs committee Tuesday, a Tsuu T’ina Nation band councillor said the Harper government’s proposed bill S-8, an Act respecting the safety of drinking water on First Nations land, would sever Ottawa’s treaty responsibility to the First Nation and put it at the mercy of Alberta’s water regime that doesn’t recognize its rights over water.
“The issue here is what if there is a conflict between the drinking water needs of a First Nation and a water allocation for irrigation or industrial purposes,” said Coun. Regena Crowchild. “The proposed act makes it very clear that water allocations by the provinces will be paramount over the drinking water needs of First Nations.”
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt, who appeared before Crowchild, told the committee the bill is necessary to improve the water situation for First Nations across the country by creating water-related regulations on-reserve.
“Until regulations are in place, we know that achieving long-term sustainable progress will be challenging,” said Valcourt. “Modern equipment and good intentions are great, but they need regulations to support them. That is why all municipalities and communities off reserve across Canada have regulations in place.
Valcourt said Ottawa is not trying to give any province jurisdiction over First Nations territory, but is simply creating a framework that would allow for regulations comparable to what exists off reserve.
According to Crowchild, however, First Nations don’t need Ottawa’s help on this front and Tsuu T’ina is already developing its own water regulations.
“All indications are that the proposed Act will simply adopt provincial laws and regulations regarding safe drinking water and waste water systems,” said Crowchild. “But the reality is that a large amount of water pollution on reserve lands is caused by weak provincial water standards…or by lack of enforcement of the law and regulations by the province.”
The Tsuu T’ina, which signed Treaty 7 in 1877, chose the location of its 69,000 acre reserve between two rivers, the Bow and the Elbow, in hopes of securing water sources in perpetuity.
“All of these sources of water have been largely polluted by industrial, agricultural and residential development,” said Crowchild, during her presentation to the committee which is studying the bill. “That is why we are very concerned about water pollution and safe drinking water.”
For over a century, Alberta has relied on a water allocation regime based on water licenses which relies on a “first in time, first in right” principle, which essentially gives priority to those who have held licenses the longest.
The Tsuu T’ina took Alberta to court over the issue. The matter is before the Alberta Court of Appeals. As it stands, however, the nation holds no water licenses, but maintains Treaty 7 is the only license the nation needs.
The Tsuu T’ina Nation currently purchases its water from Calgary, brings in trucked water and also relies partially on underground water sources that are heavy with iron content.
Drained by agricultural and oil and gas demands, Alberta’s rivers have faced 20 to 80 per cent declines in water levels over the past 100 years. Tsuu T’ina Coun. Gilbert Crowchild said southern Alberta would be bone dry within 50 years.
Crowchild said Ottawa has a treaty responsibility to the Tsuu T’ina to help offset the expected spike in costs for keeping the taps flowing on the reserve.
Under the proposed legislation, Crowchild said Ottawa is “washing its hands” of its responsibility.
“Why is it we have to buy something we have never paid for in our life?” said Gilbert Crowchild.
@JorgeBarrera
