Thank you.

As a final statement, I can say this. People need to really take a good, hard look, if they are going to pass this bill, at the situation we are in, in regard to the other first nations across Canada. We are situated downstream from the oil sands. If the bill is passed and if there are amendments made to it, one thing I can say is this: I beg the province, I beg Canada and I beg all of you to please bring down the thresholds in regard to the different heavy metals that go into the water that comes down from the oil sands.

Right now, the thresholds are at 0.05 parts per million, and anything below that is acceptable. We know this for a fact. A lot of what's happening in this region is cumulative effects. Just recently, we were lobbying the government to start to test for naphthenic acids. We were successful in that, and now it is, but, again, the threshold is 0.05 parts per million. It's a hard thing that I have to beg for my people to have a fighting chance.

I'm going to say this today. There was a study done by Transport Canada in 2017 of the wharf area, also known as “big dock”. The study goes back to 2014 or 2013 in regard to that being a contaminated site. The government had this information, and it did not disclose it to my people. It was only brought to light to us about two months ago. I've had kids swimming in there, and now you guys want to off-load the responsibility to us. A lot of my people live in that area. This is very concerning, and this is going to be news. This is what I'm saying.

This is the reason why we are in total opposition to Bill C-61. It's because we give one inch on anything, and you take the land. Now we're finding out something seven years later, after the fact. Do you see why we are so resistant and hesitant for any bills that come in this area? Even if it works for the rest of Canada, it does not work for us in this area.

I'm saying this as the chief of Mikisew Cree First Nation. Please reconsider this, because you guys have to understand where we're situated. It's not only us; it's the other nations who live in the community, but we are a majority in this community.

Thank you.

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