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In the 1970's Manitoba Hydro, a Canadian government-owned utility company signed a treaty, the Northern Flood Agreement, with the Aboriginal peoples of northern Manitoba to build hydroelectric dams that would change the lives of the Cree forever. Billions of Canadian tax dollars went into creating this series of dams. Since that time, thousands of acres of pristine wilderness have been flattened by rushing water; an Aboriginal economy which relies on hunting and fishing has been all but destroyed; and the many Cree residents claim that Manitoba Hydro is not living up to their end of the Northern Flood Agreement.
Manitoba Hydro has also insisted that, in spite of these claims, they do honor the Northern Flood Agreement. In fact, they have representatives from some of the other Cree nations whose lives have also been affected by the dams, who will speak in defense of their company. These nations have signed more recent implementation agreements with Manitoba Hydro that include financial settlements for millions of dollars to each of these communities. They say American environmentalists are misleading the Pimicikamak and if they would only sign an implementation agreement, they too would benefit more fully from Hydropower.
The US Connection: Xcel Energy, a utilities company in the United States, is one of the largest buyers of Hydro Manitoba's power. Hydroelectric power is sold as "green" energy, implying that hydro has the same impact as solar and wind power. But is hydroelectric power really “green”? As the mainstream culture requires more and more electric power to fuel their lives, they are also asking utility companies to provide that power with the least amount of environmental impact. At the same time, customers demand that their rates stay low, which makes it difficult for utilities companies to invest in the initial construction of large scale wind or solar power generation. Ultimately, Xcel Energy is responding to those opposing needs when they purchase Manitoba Hydro's power. However, this decision has been receiving increasing scrutiny as stories from the Cree trickle down to the United States. Xcel is stuck. The two options they see are discontinuing the purchase of hydroelectric power and returning to nuclear or coal (two VERY unpopular options) or continuing with Manitoba Hydro while expressing that they will be "monitoring" the situation with these Aboriginal people. At this point, the second option is the road Xcel is taking, but are there other options?
Green Green Water Creates Controversy!
Letter from Former Chief Primrose, Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
and the Response from Filmmakers
Data supported by:
Statistical Data for Hydro Impacted Community, Manitoba Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 2000
“Tackling the Issue of Teen Suicide” by Carol Goar, Toronto Star, Feb 11, 2005
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