d. October 22, 2024

7d) Incoming Letter to Minister Anand from MP Collins, MP Bachrach, MP Idlout, MP Desjarlais, and MP MCPherson (October 22, 2024)

From: Payant Smith, Sabrina (Collins, Laurel - MP)

Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 3:41:39 PM

To: anita.anand@tc.gc.ca; ec.ministre-minister.ec@canada.ca; Harjit.Sajjan@kpc-cpr.gc.ca; ministresa-ministeris@sac-isc.gc.ca; gary.anandasangaree-p@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Cc: Collins, Laurel - M.P.; Bachrach, Taylor - M.P.; Idlout, Lori - M.P.; Desjarlais, Blake - M.P.; McPherson, Heather - M.P.

Subject: Joint Letter from NDP MPs re: Contaminated Transport Canada Dock

Sensitivity: Normal

Attachments: 20241022 - Transport Canada Dock NDP Letter.pdf ;

Hi there,

Please find attached a joint letter from MP Laurel Collins, MP Taylor Bachrach, MP Lori Idlout, MP Blake Desjarlais and MP Heather McPherson regarding the news of the contaminated Transport Canada Dock in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta impacting the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, the Mikisew Cree First Nation, and the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation.

Please confirm receipt of this email. Best regards,

Sabrina Payant Smith
(she/they/elle) Adjointe législatif | Legislative Assistant

Laurel Collins, députée de Victoria | MP for Victoria
Facebook | Twitter | Web | eNewsletter
Tel: 613-996-2358 | Cell : [ Redacted ]
laurelcollins.ndp.ca

Attachments

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Subject: Contaminated Transport Canada Dock polluting Indigenous waters and endangering health

Dear Minister Anand, Minister Guilbeault, Minister Sajjan, Minister Hajdu, and Minister Anandasangaree,
The NDP was shocked to hear the news from Fort Chipewyan, Alberta earlier this month that your Liberal government knew about the contaminated dock under your jurisdiction since 2017 and no steps were taken to address it. The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, and the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation have raised several concerns with your government regarding the dock since they became aware of its contaminated state this past spring, only to be ignored.

The lack of response from the Liberal government on this serious matter is deeply disappointing. In fact, contamination of the dock was first reported to Transport Canada in 1997 in a previous assessment.

Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd. was retained in 2016 or 2017 to conduct two assessments: a Human Health Preliminary Quantitative Risk Assessment and an Ecological Risk Assessment. The assessments examined contaminants of potential concern including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, arsenic and nickel in soil, sediment, and groundwater in the dock area.

Upon completion of the assessments, recommendations were provided. Included in these recommendations were clear directions that if any wells were identified within 60 metres then further study would be required of the contamination of the dock and the water surrounding it. It is unclear to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, the Mikisew Cree First Nation, or the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation whether these recommendations were ever implemented.

The government was informed for nearly three decades that the dock located on First Nation and Métis territory and primarily used by First Nations and Métis Peoples was contaminated and allegedly did not inform the impacted Nations. Failing to inform the Nations' on this territory is an infringement on Aboriginal and Treaty rights, disregards human health, and raises serious concerns about environmental racism.

On September 19th, 2024, Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro spoke to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs regarding Bill C-61, the First Nations Clean Water Act. Fighting back tears, he told the Committee that “it's a hard thing that [he has] to beg for [his] people to have a fighting chance,” while he spoke about the revelation of the contaminated dock has had on his community. Ministers, it is shameful that Indigenous leaders are continuously ignored, cast aside, or generally disrespected by this government when it comes to public and environmental health concerns, among other issues.

On Friday, October 4^th, 2024, the government released the draft policies to guide the implementation of the 2023 amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). CEPA includes the right to a healthy environment. Your government also passed the Private Member's Bill C-226, A National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act in June 2024. The passage of these bills should prompt immediate action, but instead we see more broken promises. Your government has a duty to address serious public and environmental health concerns related to this contaminated dock.

First Nations and Métis Nations that have lived on the shores of Lake Athabasca and along the Athabasca River and its tributaries since time immemorial are now living with the consequences of pollution from oil sands exploration and production since the original Great Canadian Oil Sands (now Suncor Energy) mine began operation in 1967. Corporate greed, inadequate environmental and impact assessments, disregard of Indigenous rights, autonomy, health, and safety have led to First Nations and Métis Nations in this region to suffer enormous consequences. The disproportionate rates of rare bile duct cancer and other serious health concerns among the First Nations and Métis Nations near the oil sands suggest that there has not been enough action taken by either the Government of Alberta or the Government of Canada. This is unacceptable.

Serious and urgent actions are needed now. The lack of action regarding the contaminated Transport Canada dock and the tailings pond seepage at Imperial Oil's Kearl Tailings Pond (which we will remind you released millions of litres of wastewater into the ground, impacting multiple First Nations and Métis Nations' lands and waters) can be interpreted as undermining Reconciliation efforts. If the Government of Canada wishes to begin repairing relationships with these Nations, addressing both the contaminations and potential issues related to the contamination must start now.

Do not forget that the first mandate letter the Prime Minister gave to you and his cabinet in 2015 stated that “no relationship was more important to him, and to the country, than the one with Indigenous Peoples,” and called for nation-to-nation relationships based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. Why, then, two years later, did your government fail to inform the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, the Mikisew Cree First Nation, or the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation of the contaminated dock on their territory for so many years? While it has taken you too many years, you have an opportunity now to honour the promises made by the Prime Minister in 2015 and pursue Reconciliation with these Nations by addressing their concerns.

When our party's Critic for Indigenous Services, Northern Affairs and Crown-Indigenous Relations, MP Lori Idlout asked about what actions your government is taking to address the concerns of these Nations in Fort Chipewyan, the Minister of Transport reposted that safety for these communities is a top priority and promised to work with the Minister of Indigenous Services. We urge you to not only address this issue quickly, but to work across government departments to ensure effective solutions. Your government has a duty across all departments to uphold Treaty rights and implement Reconciliation.

Leaders from these communities have made it clear that for the First Nations and Métis Nations in this region, the land and water are not just sacred, they are medicine. People rely on bush foods and medicines as their grocery store and pharmacy, and on the water from snowpack, lakes, rivers, and muskeg as a source of drinking water. The contamination of the dock on Lake Athabasca poses a threat to traditions that have been practiced since time immemorial and are protected rights.

Ministers, we urge you to meet immediately with the leaders of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Mikisew Cree First Nation, and the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation and find a path forward that ensures the health and safety of the First Nations and Métis Peoples of this region.

Sincerely,

Laurel Collins
NDP Critic for the Environment and Climate Change
MP for Victoria

Lori Idlout
NDP Critic for Indigenous Services, Northern Affairs, and Crown-Indigenous Relations
MP for Nunavut

Taylor Bachrach
NDP Critic for Transportation MP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley

Blake Desjarlais
MP for Edmonton Griesbach

Heather McPherson
MP for Edmonton Strathcona