Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [Translation] today I would like to talk about Rocher River and Rat River. Since 1959, the school had burned down and, since that time, the people have been dispersed away from the community. Some moved to Fort Resolution. A lot went to Hay River, Fort Smith. The people moved to the south, even. That's what I want to talk about today. [Translation ends.]

During 1959, the small Dene community of 200 to 300 people and about 50 residents just 24 miles upriver at a place called Rat River were relocated from their established communities. The Dene were displaced to Fort Resolution, Yellowknife, Fort Smith, while others moved out of the territories totally.

Mr. Speaker, ironically, the people were forced to relocate after the local school burned down on New Years' Day 1959, a new beginning of a year that was far from celebratory. In fact, the government of the day made no attempt to rebuild the school. This small community was called Rocher River and was located on the Taltson River, a few miles from the mouth.

By 1964, most residents of Rocher River had moved to other communities and only a few continued their lifestyle, living off the land. Of these, some stayed in Rocher River, some at Rat River, and some up other parts of the Taltson River. The Government of Canada built the Taltson River hydroelectric dam without consulting the people of Rocher River because they were relocated. The same dam was built to generate electrical power for the Pine Point Mine. This process took people away from their homes and their traditional lifestyles. Mr. Speaker, my family was one of those that were displaced. My mother told me that Rocher River went from a place to build a prosperous living to nothing after the dam was built.

The Taltson River dam created an irreversible situation for the people that depended on the land to make a living. You see, unstable water fluctuations during the winter months discouraged trapping and hunting along the river. The impacts of these changes are still felt today. Younger generations have been deprived of opportunities to grow in their rightful knowledge of the land.

Without adequate consultation with the affected people of Rocher River, the people's way of life was destroyed and their community is hardly known by many residents of the NWT today. But Rocher River should not be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted