Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, British Columbia's proposed $8 billion Site C hydroelectric dam will flood more than 80 committees of the Peace River Valley. First Nations whose land were directly affected will pay the highest price for the so-called "clean energy project." The environmental impact assessment said flooding land for a reservoir would "severely undermine the use of the land, make fishing unsafe for at least a generation, and would submerge burial grounds and other critical cultural and historical sites."

The dam will have significant downstream effect, including on the Slave River in the NWT. It will alternate between depriving downstream communities of water and flooding these communities to manage the dam's water level. Under section 35 of the Constitution Act, governments must undertake meaningful consultation with First Nations when their Indigenous rights might be deprived. In 2016, Amnesty International issued a report which I will table later this week, saying that Site C violated the human rights of the Indigenous people. Assembly of First Nations National Chief, Perry Bellegarde has said that Canada's approach to the project is not in keeping with the constitution, or the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples and that BC's decision to move forward is "completely contrary to the reconciliation."

During environmental assessments, Canada and BC consulted with the NWT Metis Nation. They determined the Metis claim to Aboriginal rights regarding the dam is weak and that potential impact would be minimal. They also consulted with NWT Treaty 8 First Nations, including Salt River First Nation, Smith Landing's First Nation, and Deninu Kue First Nation. In its representation to the panel, the DKFN outlined the significant changes in the drying up of the Great Slave River watershed and subsequent impacts. Despite this, it was determined that the impact would be low because the dam's footprint was not expected to overlap the Treaty 8 traditional use areas.

Mr. Speaker, these findings completely ignore the downstream impacts of the dam in communities in my riding. People in Fort Simpson can remember losing wharf installations, fishing boats, and fuel cans when the floodgates opened on the WAC Bennett and Peace Canyon dams, which are upstream from Site C.

I know an Indigenous research named Jack Yeadon, who has monitored Site C. He said, "Who gave BC the right to play God, damming up our rivers without our prior knowledge or consent?" I could not agree more. I will have questions for the Premier about the NWT's position on this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.