User:Skootster/sandbox

Cost to Indigenous Peoples
The land that the Site C dam construction will affect has significance to the Dane-zaa, Cree, Métis and other Indigenous peoples of the region. An environmental assessment done independently concluded that the project would “severely undermine” the Indigenous peoples ability to carry out cultural and economic practices such as hunting and fishing. Northeastern BC Indigenous peoples have already had their rights undermined by other resource development projects, like the WAC Bennett Dam which is on the same river as Site C. BC Hydro, the public utility which built and operates the Bennett dam, opened a public display at the dam itself that acknowledged the harm done to the Tsay Keh Dene and Kwadacha First Nations. Speaking at the opening of the exhibit, a BC Hydro spokesperson said that the utility “deeply regrets those impacts and we commit that we will not repeat the mistakes of the past.” The government failed to give proper consideration to Canada’s legal obligation to protect Indigenous rights. It also failed to examine the impact of an influx of temporary workers on the safety of women, especially Indigenous women. The risk of serious harm to the rights of Indigenous peoples requires that large-scale resource development proceed only with their free, prior and informed consent.

First Nations have identified hundreds of sacred sites or areas with cultural or historic significance in the planned Site C flood zone. The Indigenous peoples of the area use the valley to hunt, fish trap, and gather berries as well as conduct ceremonies and harvest wild foods. The valley is prime habitat for moose, which is a food source they rely on, and other animals like the bear and eagle. The dam could also harm an already threatened fish species, the bull trout. The flooding of the valley may poison the fish with methylmercury for 20-30 years. Today, berry patches are harder to find, springs and streams are dirty and contaminated, and moose have become scarce.

Resource extraction has led to rapid population growth in the region. As a result of road construction and logging, non-Indigenous fisherman and hunters now have access to dwindling harvests. Just over 110 square km is recognized as reserve lands and this is not enough to sustain First Nations cultures and traditions. Indigenous peoples have ongoing rights to harvest foods and practice their customs throughout their broader territory but because of intensive resource development there are fewer and fewer places left where this is possible. The Peace River Valley falls within the bounds of Treaty 8, which recognizes First Nations rights to hunt, trap, and fish throughout the region. Helen Knott said if the valley is flooded then the promise of that treaty will be violated.

Indigenous women and girls will face extra harm from this infrastructure project due to the influx of highly paid, temporary workers. Indigenous women and girls are at least 3 times more likely to experience violence than all other women and are 6 times more likely to be murdered. It is likely these stats are lower than reality because of the underreporting by Indigenous communities and failing to accurately record crimes by police when victims are Indigenous. Short-term and temporary workers in resource industry jobs in Peace River Valley generally get paid well above the national average, which attracts workers from all over the country. Most of the high paying jobs go to men and on average, women are actually paid below the national average for women. The large number of high paid workers has driven up local prices including necessities such as housing, childcare and medical services. People who are not part of the resource sector (with high wages) are negatively affected and may not be able to afford suitable accommodations. A combination of low wages for women and a high cost of living create a dangerous dependency on a male partner make it hard for women to escape situations where their safety is at risk. The tens of thousands of men who pass through the region for work include some who are a threat to women and this is increased by the high-stress jobs, potential binge drinking and drug abuse. In 2014 Fort St. John had the highest per capita crime rate and the highest caseload per police officer among 31 BC municipalities.

The assessment of the Site C dam failed to consider specific impacts on Indigenous women and girls. Consultation is part of the framework for protection of human rights for Indigenous peoples but consultation has to be meaningful and is pointless if their concerns are not seriously considered. Consultation is only meaningful if there is genuine willingness to abandon a proposal or explore alternatives. This failure to properly consult will result in harm to Indigenous peoples and their rights in that region.