Lake St. Martin First Nation: Impacts of 2011 Flood. Myrle Ballard, Ph.D.

Lake St. Martin First Nation: Impacts of 2011 Flood Myrle Ballard, Ph.D.

Lake St. Martin: Anishinaabe community (Ojibway/Saulteaux) The registered population is 2172 (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada 2008) Located at the narrows of Lake St. Martin along the Fairford River between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, 225 km northwest of Winnipeg, ten miles off Provincial Road 513, on the northeast shore of Lake St. Martin. small land base of 23.98 sq/km (Statistics Canada 2006).

Source: AANDC 2012

Lake St. Martin First Nation

Lake St. Martin The community has been repeatedly flooded since the construction of the Fairford water control structure in 1960. Portage Diversion constructed in 1971. Long terms effects of policies and systems have been detrimental to the livelihoods of Lake St. Mart First Nation Anishinabek

F I N D I N G S

Findings: Customary Clock The customary clock shows Anishinabek had sustainable livelihoods prior to 1950s when detrimental Canadian and provincial policies eroded this. Increased technology by settlers has increased the destruction of the environment, which destroyed sustainable livelihoods. E.g. construction of dam, air boats

2011 Flood

Long term effects Physical Financial Political Human Social Cultural Economical Environmental

Evacuees: Hotels

F I N D I N G S

Findings: Customary Clock The customary clock shows Anishinabek had sustainable livelihoods prior to 1950s when detrimental Canadian and provincial policies eroded this. Increased technology by settlers has increased the destruction of the environment, which destroyed sustainable livelihoods. E.g. construction of dam, air boats

Findings: PESCE Analysis Community Site Present Future Political Interim site N (No) Y (Yes) Permanent community Y Y Band office facilities N Y Supports Good Governance N Y Impact on Remedying 3rd vs. 1st party management N Y Environment Hunting N Y Fishing N (No) N Forest Y Y Cleared land P P/N (Partial) Good drinking water N TBD Access to surface water Y Y Wildlife co-management N Y Social Recreational spaces and facilities N Y Gendered needs met (e.g.. birthing centre, daycare facilities, women s places and men s places such as a grandmother house like in Nelson house. N Relief from Social distress from flooding and relocation/ displacement Church/spiritual/place of worship Y Y N TBP (To Be Planned) Adequate cooking facilities shared cooking/restaurant N Y Healthy housing N Y Daycare facilities Y Y Language rights respected N TBP School with gym and food service facilities (K-12) N Y Health facilities (Health centre) Y Y Youth facilities N Y Elder facilities N Y Recreational facilities N Y Youth facilities for recreation N Y Library N Y Health issues Wellness versus Diabetes N Y Disability N Y Addresses Social determinants of health (poverty) N Y Addresses Chronic disease prevention N Y Assisted living facilities for elders N Y Personal care home N Y Y

Cultural Traditional medicines Y Y Gardens Y Y Language facility N TBP Language classes Y Y Elders meeting space N Y Traditional Land use Y Y Cultural gathering space/grounds N Y Cultural facility N Y Ecotourism Economic Hunting N Y Ecotourism Commercial Fishing N/Y N/Y Seneca root digging Y Y Close to highway N Y Paved road N Y Paved driveways N Y Alternative Energy N Y Biomass/geothermal Lagoon Y Y Waste Management site N Y Sewer system (in ground) N Y Healthy food access N Y Ability to develop supermarket N Y Market activities N Y Casino Resort Potential N Y Gas bar N Y Restaurant N Y Ranching N Y Cattle farming Limited Y Dairy farming Limited Y Other Economic potential N Y Other livestock N Y Farming N Y Subsistence Y Y Recreation N Y Infrastructure N Y Central office complex/mall N Y Conference facility N Y Arena N Y

Sustainable Livelihoods Model

Sustainable Livelihoods Colonialism has created stress and increased the vulnerability of Anishinabek Infrastructure is non-existent e.g. no school building for more than 10 years only portables. No real-property e.g reserve, means that government can flood land Destruction of habitat In 2012 Lake St. Martin First Nation is homeless and completely landless

Anishinaabe Kwek Livelihoods Integrated Model Source: modified from Thompson et al 2010

Sustainable Livelihoods Communities are embedded in provincial and federal policies that limit their sustainable livelihoods First Nations are trying to sustain themselves when government is working against their best interests CFS minimizes women s roles as mothers taking away children makes women more vulnerable: can t pass on nurturing skills

Sustainable Livelihoods A foreign system of governance has resulted in elected leadership that is modeled after the western system. This type of governance has brought dysfunction to the community and has resulted in a community that has lost its social fabric, its pride, its honour, and its independence. Vulnerable populations controlled

Sustainable Livelihoods Government defines structures and laws that infiltrate community level and actors Structures define livelihoods and outcomes Households are impacted by bigger forces human, financial, physical all of these are impacted by policy or laws Impact of colonization is so great inability to own home, inability to start business, limits livelihood strategies

Community Assets for Women Source: based on Carney 1999

Findings: Community Assets Community assets represent the local aspects of the bigger picture Indian Act Real property Patriarchal Anishinaabe Community Assets shrink as policy and structures increase so does vulnerability, poverty, and marginalization

Findings: Community Assets Anishinabek Human capital No skills Low education Natural capital Landless Don t own property Financial capital Low wages Welfare No credit Third Party Sandbagging (seasonal)

Findings: Community Assets Anishinabek Physical capital Water quality contaminated Substandard housing evacuees living in hotels Traditional Hunting Fishing Trapping Gathering medicines Social capital Low social status Vulnerable Role as mothers taken away Single parent Language disappearing Education

Current Situation LSM evacuees still in hotels and temporary accomodations Band office still in temporary location in Wpg People are scattered Economy destroyed No community Suicides Cultural Mental and emotional stress

Findings: Community Assets Anishinabek Human capital No skills Low education Natural capital Landless Don t own property Political Governance stucture undermined Financial capital Low wages Welfare No credit Third Party Sandbagging (seasonal)

Findings: Community Assets Anishinabek Physical capital Water quality contaminated Substandard housing evacuees living in hotels Social capital Low social status Vulnerable Role as mothers taken away Single parent Economic Fisheries agricultural

Current Situation cont d Province dictating jurisdictional wrangling Ie selection of land Government has ignored LSM selection of land Province is placing LSM evacuees in internment camp (interim village v. temporary village)

Conclusion Poverty, preventative policies, systems and lack of economic opportunities prevent the catch-up to existing technology. E.g. rice picking was a sustainable livelihood until airboats were introduced.

MIIGWETCH! Thank you!