2013-2014 Annual Report

Figure 1: Renovated MNA Region V office

Here we are again, and we’re happy to share the progress in Region 5. Since the last assembly in Cold Lake, the staff in Slave Lake and other areas of Region V has been working diligently to ensure our members are providing assistance needed for our local programs and our people.

The Metis Nation of Alberta Region V has been busy over the 2013-2014 year. Our office is very appreciative of the support from many of our Metis people through this large region that come and talk to us on a regular basis as well as those who have worked with us this past year. We appreciate your good thoughts and wishes and we look forward to seeing you in our newly renovated office through the year. We have tea and coffee at the office regularly and hold many different events throughout the year. Check out our webpage at www.mnaregion5.com for what’s happening in Region V at any time as well as any jobs we may hear of that are located within Region V.

We are dedicated in moving our MNA Region 5 forward. With hard work we have proven that good things come from effort as you’ll see from our report. We owe much of our success last year to our community elders, the great office staff, Region V Vice President Elmer Gullion, former Vice President Darryl Ghostkeeper, and the many volunteers that have worked with us throughout the year. We want to especially thank the people in Wabasca Local #90 and President Susan Decoine, for her efforts in working with our office.

We are looking to start more Metis locals in our region and we want to hear from you about issues that important to your Metis local community. All it takes is passion, love of the Metis community and as little as four people for a temporary board of directors to get started. Call us today to learn more at 780-849-4654. Together, we can make Region V a better place for our Metis people, children and elders.

Economic Development- The last couple years we have focused on Economic Development and some of the successes have been two Traditional Land Use studies that were completed in 2013. We have a multi-year work plan in progress with TransCanada Pipeline that will expire in 2018 on their Grand Rapids project. We have met with several oil and gas companies over the last year and our main focus when we talk with them is traditional land impacts, local employment and business opportunities for the members. We have a TLU and other projects in planning with Koch Oil Sands. We’ve also spoken with many general contractors about partnering with us as well as working with our local Metis businesses. In 2013 we restarted the Northern Metis Business Development Corp and although it’s early we have great plans for that organization.

Figure 2: Picture of Grand Rapids TLU participants, July 2013

Figure 3: Metis people on a monitoring project after a gas pipeline break.

Figure 4: Osum Oil Sands Area

Region V has a partnership in S-11 Logging. This company has been revived and President Bev New has worked for several months over the past year to have it back up and running. An agreement was also signed for a 3rd party to log the forest and this will allow our members to work on the projects and be part of this company.

Seniors/elders- We have been assisting our elders with applications for the seniors benefit program, tax preparation, seniors programs. We have stew and bannock every second Wednesday of the month. Here our elders are able to visit, share stories and get the help they need. We have assisted several seniors this past year and we have added one staff person who cooks, helps the seniors and does membership.

Culture and Heritage- We had our 10th annual Northern Metis Celebration in partnership the Northern Lakes College located in Grouard. In the month of November 2013 we come together to celebrate with good food, music, jigging and great people. We thank all the Metis people who joined with us in this celebration.

Metis membership- During 2013-2014 we have been meeting with our communities with the membership clerks of the Metis Nation of Alberta Provincial office several times in order to ensure our members have the updated MNA membership cards. To that end Region V has had our office staff through Emma work with many people assisting them in getting their information together so they can apply and obtain their updated card. Our own oral knowledge and local history shows us that the area of Region V has many historic Metis families whom we are proud to serve at the region office. Many whose ancestors served in the work of the fur trade as far back as the early 1800’s.

Community Work- Aboriginal day in June is always a special event in Alberta and this time allows us to partner and have fun at an event that is free to all who join us.

Figure 5: Northern Celebration Partnership event with our people in Region V.

We have purchased fiddles and we are happy to keep our culture alive and having fun. We have provided 10 free fiddle lessons that were held in our office.

Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth (CCAY) has funded Region 5 for the past years. Some of the projects are as follows,

Fiddle Lessons- Region 5 was able to hire a Fiddle Instructor to teach 10 youth how to maintain also clean and basic notes of the Fiddle.

Housing- we continue to seek affordable housing for our seniors. We have approached the Government in asking for some of the units that have been located in Slave Lake since the fire.

Oil and Gas- The regional office has been busy and met with several Oil and Gas companies such as TransCanada Pipelines, Koch Oil Sands and Osum Oil Sands who have existing or new potential projects

in the area. We call them our regional partners: they are respectful and businesslike with our Metis people. The Region V office has made best efforts to work with other Oil and Gas companies in the area only to be left out on having meaningful communications and real consultation with our Metis people. In the future this office will continue to pound on the door of those who don’t show respect for our people who are traditional users of the land. However, we’re doing good work with our existing partners and that is where the most of our efforts will be focused.

Figure 6: President Bev New, Lane Wells (TransCanada) and Walter Andreeff

There are over two dozen operating plants and in-application Oil Sands Projects located within MNA Region 5 that have a potential to supply numerous employment opportunities and economic development through contracting opportunities. Many projects are located in the northeast section of the region west of the Athabasca River and also northwest of Utikima Lake in the Peace Oil Sands development Area. In all there is over a billion dollars of projects and thousands of short and long term potential jobs.

Figure 7: Oil Sands Projects and Upgraders in Region V, Source: Alberta Government Map 2013

During the year the Region incorporated the Northern Metis Business Corporation under the Regional office and the region has signed several economic opportunity agreements with our partners. We have met with several companies such as TransCanada, Koch, Ledcor and Red Rock Camps to discuss contracting as well as employment opportunities. Our most recent agreement (see below) was signed with Red Rock Camps and they are active within Region V. We invite all Region V Metis businesses to visit our website to register their service and safety information with us. Potential work is coming for the fall and winter of 2014-2015 so register with us on our website soon so we can pass it on to the right people.

Our industry partners have provided opportunities for Metis people in Region V to learn more about Pipeline and Oil Sands projects in providing support for setting up open houses in our area on their projects as well as related Metis Traditional Land Use (TLU) assessments. It has allowed for members from Wabasca Local 90 and those from other Region V locations to be interviewed to tell a story about their family’s history, their hunting and harvesting on the land, and their concerns regarding potential Oil and Gas development impacts to the environment. It has allowed people to be more informed about economic development through jobs and contracting on the land. One example is last year’s summer

Figure 8: Red Rock Camp Agreement signing

work with the Grand Rapids Pipeline group through our MNA agreement with TransCanada Pipelines. On a Region V led TLU study, our region elders and knowledge holders had a total of over two weeks of field work on the ground as well as using a helicopter last year.

Figure 9: View of the Grand Rapids of the Athabasca River by air.

Figure 10: Field work in a very wet pipeline right of way.

The work was undertaken by a consultant (KSD and Associates) who was hired by Region V. At the end of the project the company presented a report to us and TransCanada on the entire work over 50 pages in length complete with maps and a written historical section on the Metis community. The project was managed by our office through our Region V staff Emma, Jenna New and Patsy Campion as well as our Metis science consultant Walter. Over 8 people from Region V were involved in the TLU work.

Figure 11: Cover of the Region V Grand Rapids TLU Report

Many of our knowledge holders had identified several concerns during the TLU work including questions on Economic development and business, environmental impacts during construction, emergency response of TransCanada if a spill occurred, moose lick avoidances and potential training opportunities. The Pipeline group visited us and responded to concerns raised in the report at a meeting in June 2014 in which they brought several of their technical experts to respond to our questions. It was a good meeting.

Figure 12: Participants at Grand Rapids TLU response meeting in Slave Lake, June 2014

In the spring of 2014, several Region V members travelled to Hinton for a tour of the nearby Obed Coal Mine Facility. People may remember that in late fall of 2013 (Oct 31), a mine tailings pond collapsed and spilled over 6 million cubic meters of water and 800,000 cubic meters of sediment into the Athabasca River. It was said to be one of the largest mine tailing spills in North America. A large plume of dirty water travelled downstream from Hinton to where the river spills into Lake Athabasca.

Through the efforts of one of our members, the regional office was able to set up a tour of the facility to meet with plant personnel and contractors to discuss the spill and see the remediation efforts underway. It was good trip with good meetings and discussion. Present at the meeting was several members of Region V and Wabasca Metis local along with Regional leader Bev New. During the tour, Sherritt appears to be spending considerable effort to clean up the mess and restore the environment over the short and long term.

During 2013 and 2014 we have used a part time science consultant to support our business initiatives at the Region V office. ACME Economic and Environmental Inc. is a Metis owned company from Grande Prairie. Walter has provided support in writing work proposals, reports to industry, our formal agreements, as well as negotiated with our industry partners to maximize benefits to our Metis community. Walter’s web site is at www.acmegrandeprairie.ca.

Figure 15: ACME Logo

In closing, we hope everyone likes our new annual report format and we thank you for your interest in Region V activities. Working together we are a strong nation of Metis people. From our staff, Elmer our Vice President and from me, we wish you and your family have a wonderful summer. President Bev New

Figure 14: Region V Metis people with Obed Mine Managers