I come from the community of Split Lake, which is 900 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. We have about 2,500 residents. Our community lies on the banks of Split Lake, which is fed by Manitoba's two largest rivers—the Nelson River and the Churchill River.
These rivers have expansive watersheds that include Lake Winnipeg and extend west to the Rockies and east to northern Ontario, including the English River system, which is polluted by mercury. So many pollutants in these systems will find their way to Split Lake.
For centuries, the water in Split Lake, the Nelson River and the Churchill River was the lifeblood of our people. It contained all the resources we needed—water for drinking, fish and wildlife for food, and medicine plants.
Fish was one of the mainstays—