By Bryan Eneas

Clean-up efforts to resume at James Smith Cree Nation

Jan 20, 2017 | 4:00 PM

After a five-month long ordeal regarding clean-up on the James Smith Cree Nation (JSCN), things may start looking up for the community.

In August of last year, residents first started noticing foam and an oily substance in the portion of the Saskatchewan River which runs through their territory. After months of meetings, Husky Energy agreed to clean-up the riverbanks and water in James Smith.

Once a Shoreline Clean-up Assessment Team (SCAT) used two oil-sniffing dogs to identify the oil, some cleaning activities began on James Smith lands. All activity was originally halted in November and the Cree Nation was left with 27 piles of logs contaminated with oil.

Now, according to Alvin Moostoos, the councillor responsible for lands in the JSCN, Husky has come back to the discussion table after months of silence.

“According to Husky, they told us a couple days ago, clean-up would continue in May,” Moostoos said. “We’ve been harping on them for a long time to get our shoreline cleaned up. If they don’t do it, we’re gonna have to go harder at it… Right now we can’t even go hunting, fishing or trapping along the river.”

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Moostoos said residents of the JSCN have checked on the river, but no one is allowed to hunt by an executive order made by chief and council in July.

Moostoos said he’s happy the clean-up efforts will happen again in 2017, but he has concerns about the timeliness of the response. He is worried the annual thaw will push ice into the Cree Nation, which would then push any of the remaining oil further up the riverbanks.

“It’s not over yet, not by a long shot,” Moostoos said. “I’d like to see them start monitoring it as soon as the ice starts breaking.”

Moostoos said the Cree Nation, using bylaws created in 1996, plans to take up a legal battle with Husky. One particular clause within the bylaws states those who pollute the waters in the Cree Nation’s territory will be charged $1,000 a day for every day the waters are polluted.

No papers have been filed in court.

Moostoos reiterated the fact the Cree Nation is not against energy development in anyway. He said leaders in JSCN are simply asking for sustainable, responsible development.

This is part one of a two-part series where paNOW is looking into the clean-up of last year’s Husky Oil Spill. A spokesperson from Husky Energy stated the company will be available to provide comment on Monday.

Bryan Eneas is paNow’s Indigenous and northern reporter. He can be reached by email at Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca or on Twitter: @BryanEneas