Good evening. I'm Chief April Adams-Phillips from the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne welcomes the opportunity to address the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, and presents its comments on the water quality of the Great Lakes Basin.
It is important to note that the first nations have a historical and ongoing relationship with the waters of the Great Lakes Basin and can provide an important perspective for this committee's consideration. As such, in making these comments, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne supports the written submission of the Chiefs of Ontario in response to the questions posed by the committee on the Great Lakes Basin.
Akwesasne is geographically in a unique location within the Great Lakes Basin and along the St. Lawrence River in particular. As a first nation community we are located in the southeastern part of Ontario, southwestern part of Quebec, and in northern New York state. Population-wise, we are one of the largest first nations in Canada with membership over 12,000, and an on-reserve population of over 10,000. We have had a presence along the St. Lawrence River for thousands of years.
The environment program within our Department of Tehotiiennawakon was created almost 40 years ago and is one of the most mature and experienced environmental programs among the first nations in Canada. Today it's managed by a staff of seven, including three environmental assessment officers, one science officer, one environmental educator, one forestry technician, and a manager. The environment program was established to help the community deal with the multitude of environmental impacts arising from the industrial development along the St. Lawrence River.
The St. Lawrence River at Akwesasne is one of 43 areas of concern in the Great Lakes Basin, primarily due to mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB, and other contaminants of concern in the water, sediments, and fish. We have been actively involved in the development of the remedial action plans, one American and one Canadian, that have been developed for the St. Lawrence area of concern. In the process, our environment program staff have developed strong relationships with Environment Canada in both the Ontario and Quebec regions, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and with local conservation authorities in Raisin Region and South Nation.
In terms of identifying locations of environmental concern, we remain concerned about the health of the St. Lawrence River at Akwesasne. While the past 25 years have seen tremendous changes in the environment of the river with the cleanup of numerous hazardous waste sites and the closing of a number of industries that have been a major source of the pollution of the river, no substantive studies have been undertaken to verify that the contaminant levels in the fish, sediments, and plants in and along the river would support the delisting of the St. Lawrence River area of concern.
The fishery of the Great Lakes Basin is reliant on water quality and quantity. As water temperatures increase and water levels decrease, it places the fishery at risk, including the commercial fishery, recreational fishery, and the aboriginal fishery. Historically, the aboriginal fishery has received the least financial support from the Government of Canada in terms of allocating resources to protect it. In fact, since the termination of the aboriginal inland habitat program in 2012, no funds have been available from the federal government to protect or restore local first nation fisheries.
In July 2013, we hosted the International Joint Commission as they were holding hearings related to regulating water levels in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. While council expressed support for efforts to mimic natural flows in the river, environmental concerns remain regarding shoreline erosion and the role ships in the St. Lawrence Seaway contribute to this ongoing environmental problem.
We have submitted a funding proposal to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada to develop our own water law and regulatory framework. We understand the drinking water regulatory void faced by first nations as the setting of water standards is a provincial responsibility, and first nations are exempt from those standards. We have been working to be proactive in creating our own water law and regulatory framework, and have been trying to work with Canada in piloting a first nation initiative in this area.
Finally, the impacts of climate change represent one of the greatest challenges facing water quality in the Great Lakes Basin going forward. Extreme weather events and rising water temperatures in particular are a growing concern and have the potential to change the flora and fauna in the basin. It will also continue to contribute to lowering the water levels throughout the basin. Because of our long-term presence throughout the Great Lakes Basin, first nations can contribute positively to this discussion, if given the opportunity.
On prioritization, the impacts of climate change are fast and are becoming the greatest environmental threat to water quality within the Great Lakes Basin. First nations can play a critical role in this monitoring. Creating a first nations water law and regulatory framework is a proactive and responsible endeavour that Canada should support. Evaluating whether levels of contaminants in fish, sediments, and waters have lessened with the cleanup of many hazardous waste sites and the closing of many industrial plants, the source of contaminants, will be key to the delisting of many areas of concern. Improving the fishery of the Great Lakes Basin is important to commercial, recreational, and aboriginal interests. First nations can play an important role in protecting all three interests, but will need financial resources to participate.
Remediation efforts in the Great Lakes Basin represent a challenge for all involved in ensuring a healthy and productive basin. Continuing budget cuts to federal and provincial environmental agencies responsible for water quality in the Great Lakes Basin requires great cooperation and partnerships among basin interests, including first nations.
We have to continue to partner with others with an interest in the Great Lakes Basin, particularly the St. Lawrence River. Respectful and cooperative relationships have been developed, based on focusing on common interests of a healthy river for all. Our environment program is undertaking a three-year species at risk project in partnership with the Ontario and Quebec regions of Environment Canada and in partnership with Ontario Power Generation. The project is focusing on a critical habitat for five turtle species, two bird species, and one frog species in the St. Lawrence River.
We have been coordinating our efforts in creating a first nations water law and regulatory framework with both the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec and with the federal government. It has obtained letters of support from the respective provincial environmental agencies and we continue to pursue the project with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
We have developed a relationship with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. We have hosted meetings with representatives from the department and other first nations and developed a paper on the importance of sturgeon to the aboriginal fisheries for the department's consideration.
We have been an active participant in the development of Ontario's proposed Great Lakes protection act and have advocated for many of the changes to the proposed legislation that recognize and support first nations involvement in the protection of the Great Lakes. We have also been active in supporting the inclusion of a first nations' annex to the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin that will lead to greater engagement of first nations in basin issues based on the principles of respect and cooperation.
On recommendations for best practices, the strength of our environment program is its ability to integrate a culturally based approach with western science in addressing the environmental challenges facing the Great Lakes Basin. Respectful and cooperative relationships are the key to moving forward together in ensuring a healthy Great Lakes Basin for all.
On a local level, our environment program has developed a culturally based environmental assessment process that meets and exceeds the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. It has been used in conducting a harmonized environmental assessment for the Three Nations Bridge Crossing with the Federal Bridge Corporation. It is used in conducting environmental assessments of all projects in Akwesasne.
Within the province of Ontario, the changes to the proposed Great Lakes Protection Act embody how first nations can be meaningfully engaged in efforts to protect the Great Lakes for all people. They include: one, the acknowledgement of existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada as recognized and affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982; two, invited participation of aboriginal peoples on the proposed Great Lakes guardians' council; three, opportunity for first nations participation in geographic area initiatives; and four, recognition of traditional ecological knowledge as a tool to assist in implementing the act.
The inclusion of a first nations annex in the Canada-Ontario agreement will strengthen the relationship between first nations, the province, and Canada, built around a common interest in protecting the Great Lakes for all peoples.
In this time of fiscal restraint and government cutbacks, engaging first nations in a respectful and cooperative way represents the best approach to the protection of the Great Lakes.