Multimillion-dollar deal for community over river diversion

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This article was published 17/09/2010 (5738 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE province has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement in a 20-year-old dispute with the Cross Lake community council over the devastating effects caused by the Churchill River diversion project that will also include thousands of hectares of land in compensation.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson announced the deal Thursday afternoon.

“This historic settlement agreement provides community leaders with the tools they need to create a prosperous future for the people of the community and I commend everyone who worked so hard to realize this milestone,” Robinson said in a prepared statement.

The deal does not affect the outstanding claim from the Pimicikamak (Cross Lake) First Nation against the province and Manitoba Hydro.

The Cross Lake community council, which is a small Métis community adjacent to Pimicikamak, launched its legal action against the province and Manitoba Hydro in 1992.

The council’s deputy mayor Bob Smith said the community suffered the same adverse effects as other First Nations communities, including Nelson House and Norway House, but was never compensated for it. Smith said the Cross Lake community lost some of its ability to fish due to fluctuating water levels.

“We could never understand why the communities were left out,” Smith said. “If a street flooded in Winnipeg it would be like recognizing (only) one side of the street when both were flooded.”

The terms of the deal include a payment of $9.2 million over a 13-year period. The money will be used to enhance the community’s economic, social, cultural and spiritual well-being. The province also agrees to transfer to the community council 2,000 hectares of land to help it cope with growth.

Smith said the deal caused friction with a small number of people from Cross Lake First Nation, who felt the community was “stealing” land. He said about a dozen protestors gathered in the community to voice their anger over the deal Thursday afternoon, including some who carried signs accusing the council of “genocide.”

“We’re all the same people and we are being accused of stealing land, which we are not,” Smith said. “It was supposed to be a happy day for us.”

Initial payment is $2 million, $605,000 paid per year for the next 11 years with a final payment of $606,059 on Jan. 2, 2022. The funds will be administered in a trust fund.

The province also announced the Cross Lake community council is now incorporated under the Northern Affairs Act. While in the community, Robinson attended the official opening ceremonies of the new town offices and emergency services buildings — both constructed with $3 million provided by the province.