Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker [English translation not provided] Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Last November I spoke about the community of Rocher River and the people of the Taltson River. I mentioned a dam that was built after the federal government refused to rebuild the school that had burnt down.
The people of Rocher would say that the loss of the school in 1959 and the federal government's push to move everyone to Fort Resolution made it possible to build the Taltson River dam without any real opposition. Only the chief of the day told the government that he was in opposition to the dam.
The dam is needed to provide electricity to the Pine Point Mine; the mine operated from the early 1960s to 1988.
When the dam went into operation, the muskrat and beaver that lived on Taltson either moved inland to small lakes and creeks or were killed by the fluctuating water levels on the river.
Mr. Speaker, over the last few years muskrat and beaver had been returning to the Taltson River; however, this winter there was a great surge in the water level and it appears that the ice belt was broken up. At least one outfitter sustained thousands of dollars in damage due to the flood.
This outfitter has been operating there for 31 years, and has only seen this change in the water level happen once before, in December 2006. At that time, the NWT Power Corporation was pursuing the Deze project that would have extended the hydro line from the Taltson River dam to the diamond mines.
A couple of trappers were affected by the flood, and the NWT Power Corporation made some sort of settlement with them. The problem was clearly caused by water released by the dam, which made it impossible for the trappers to pursue their traditional economy safely.
Mr. Speaker, sudden floods and ice breaking up in the middle of winter is not a natural phenomenon; the water is coming from water held back by the Taltson dam.
Elders speak of when the river sustained the livelihood for a community of 200 to 300 people. Today, there is almost no traditional economy on the Taltson River. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted