Friends, recent moves in the Deh Cho to save one of the last areas in the entire world with good clean water is the right and only way to go.
This kind of action, to ensure the survival of the Edehzhie Wildlife Protected Area, would simply have not been possible even a few short years ago, when the Harper administration was bound and determined to using up all Canadian waters for industry.
Now we least learn that just over 14,000 kilometers of the land on the Horn Plateau, called by the elders ‘the breadbasket of the Deh Cho,’ will gain some measure of security.
This also marks an occasion to doff our collective hats to leaders on both sides. This nation has made its error along the way, too, arbitrarily taking subsurface rights off the negotiating table, until the Deh Cho took it to court and won.
When these kinds of actions take place certain names always come to mind, like that of Chief Gerry Antoine, who could show you how all of his Deh Cho area was totally dependent on its water supply.
We have a similar situation in the Sahtu, Great Bear Lake Region, going back as far as the Prophet Louis Ayah, who foretold the death of his people, after uranium was found at Port Radium.
This great seer even told of the use of the atomic bombs made from this deadly material, being dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II.
Indeed, his words continue to sound forth, that future wars will be fought over precious water. Most mindful are the leaders in Deline, who take personal stake in seeing to it that future generations have the Sahtu to turn to.
On a more local level, John T’seleie of Fort Good Hope, is doing his level best to further the cause of the Ts’ude niline Tu’eyeta area, along with the help of former premier Stephan Kakfwi and Bob Overvold.
In repeated meetings of the people of Radilih Koe, that Ramparts River area has always been specifically pointed to, as central to the lives of our people and the most prime of moose hunting in the North.
All of this concern over water also brings forth the fact that we each for our part have to see that our grandchildren’s grandchildren have a way to live on.
Mahsi, thank you.