Stewards of Our Traditional LandsKelly Lake, British Columbia

CEAA Joint Review Panel Presentation January 2014*

KLMSSKelly Lake Mtis Settlement Society (KLMSS) is a not-for-profit organization registered under the BC Societies Act on April 26, 2002Purpose: advocate for the Aboriginal rights, health and equity, pursue economic and social benefits, for Kelly Lake Mtis peopleKLMSS is a community-governed organization, and ratified its Constitution in 2007*

KLMSS (contd)KLMSS President (Lyle Letendre)Board of Directors (Elders, Community Members)Management (Keith Henry)Supporting consultants*

KLMSS (contd)*

Kelly Lake Mtis - HistoryEvidence of ore-confederation presence in the regionBaptiste Bission Senior and Joseph Landry (Letendre) guided Alexander Mackenzie from Lac Ste. Anne northwest on his 1793 Voyage into Peace CanyonNapolean Thomas guided David Thompson on his 1811 journey through Athabasca Pass

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Kelly Lake Mtis History (contd)Founding members of the settlement at the early part of the 20th century: Narcisse Belcourt, St. Pierre Gauthier, and the families Calliou, Campbell, Gladu, Gray, Hamelin, Letendre and SupernatKelly Lake was gateway to Kelly Lake Mtis trapping heartland (Robinson, 1983) ...food and income security d/t the local natural abundance of clean water, wildlife, rich trapping grounds, and relative ease of access to supplies at Beaverlodgetrapping heartland had been in use for generations

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Kelly Lake Mtis - CultureContinue to practice traditional Mtis mixed, or bush economy/culture, composed of harvesting pants, wildlife and medicines from the natural environment, wage labour and community-based businessesDeeply dependent on, connected to and stewards of their Traditional Territory, an area in which Kelly Lake Mtis assert their Constitutionally-enshrined Aboriginal rights

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Kelly Lake Mtis Traditional Territory Generally, KLMSS Traditional Territory extends from the Continental Divide in British Columbia east to the Smoky River in the northern portion of the territory, and to Lac Ste. Anne in the southern, following common travel routes. North-south, it encompasses lands from the Peace River south to about the latitude of Hinton, Alberta... (KLMSS, 2012)*

Kelly Lake Mtis Traditional Territory (Figure 1: KLMSS, 2012)*

Kelly Lake Mtis The location of KLMSS Traditional Territory, straddling the AB/BC border presents challenges for Kelly Lake Mtis, and have lead to ongoing and severe inequity and fragmentation of the social fabric of the community: Squabbles over administrative/municipal responsibility/resourcingStructural violence: active exclusion of Mtis in BC Regulatory environmentInconsistent and inadequate consultation and engagement

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Some Examples of InequitiesResidents often have to leave the community to obtain gainful employment, in spite of tremendous resources and development within KLMSS Traditional Territory; The average income in 2005 was estimated to be between $20,000 and $25,000 per annum; The community suffers from a lack of access to Provincial and Federal funding that provides important facilities and services (including emergency services); There is a shortage of adequate housing in Kelly Lake approximately 80% of residents have mould in their homes, and the majority of people have inadequate insulation; Potable water is a concern for the community; and Less than 70% of community members are estimated to have graduated high school. (KLMS 2010)

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Effects of Development KLMSS has documented the following knowledge with regard to Project-specific and cumulative effects within KLMSS Traditional Territory: Declines in the purity and abundance of surface water due to civic and industrial contamination (Stantec, 2010; Stantec, 2011); Extensive, progressive and ongoing wildlife habitat and sensitive ecological feature (i.e. moose lick) destruction, disturbance by industry (Stantec, 2010; Stantec, 2011); and Ongoing threats and impacts to food and culture security through encroachment of non- Aboriginal harvesters, destruction of high-yield harvesting sites and cumulative environmental decline (i.e. moose licks and muskegs) (Stantec, 2010; Stantec 2011) (KLMSS, 2012)*

Looking Forward Kelly Lake is a small, traditional Mtis community whose people rely largely on harvesting plants and wildlife from the natural environment for subsistence. Kelly Lake Mtis continue to address the following:

Recognition and affirmation of a Powley Mtis community exercising Kelly Lake Mtis rights; Meaningful inclusion in processes that threaten Kelly Lake Mtis lands, culture, food and livelihood; Fair and equitable support and treatment of the people and the community by government and industry; andDiscontinuation of current structures acting as barriers to the above (i.e. BC Environmental Assessment Act). *

ReferencesAndrews, G. 1985. Mtis Outpost: Memoirs of the First Schoolmaster at the Mtis Settlement of Kelly Lake, BC, 1923-1925. Victoria, BC. Kelly Lake Mtis Settlement Society (KLMSS). 2012. Historic Overview. Available at: http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/epic/documents/p311/d30710/1249942748941_a72e5ac884bf5994eab790d18b2b6e35f61c2f105c9c214aecf182f80bcce09d.pdf. Accessed 23June2012. KSDavison & Associates (KSDA). 2012. Kelly Lake Mtis Settlement Society Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Assessment for the BC Hydro Site C Project. Consultants report. Prepared for BC Hydro. New Westminster, BC.Robinson, M. 1983. Monkman Coal Project Infrastructure Stage III: Heritage Resource Impact Management Study: The Land Use and Occupancy System of the Mtis Trappers of Kelly Lake, British Columbia. Petro-Canada Coal Division, Calgary, Alberta. Stantec Consulting. 2010. Kelly Lake Mtis Settlement Society Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Study for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project. Calgary, Alberta. Stantec Consulting. 2011. Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Land Use Study: Kelly Lake Apetokosan Nation Grande Prairie Mainline Loop (Karr North Section) Pipeline Project. Calgary, Alberta. Tanner, O. 1977. Time-Life Books Old West Series: The Canadians. Time-Life Books. Alexandra, Virginia. *

Traditional Territory boundaries are dynamic in nature, and change based on the amount of information available. That presented in this slide is was verified by the ATK Elders Council for the Site C Project in July of 2012, is preliminary in nature, and based largely on the results of regulatory ATK studies. A comprehensive Metis Traditional Use and Occupancy study is currently underway.*