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DAM-L U.S. utility refuses to cut ties over treatment of Cross Lake band
Article from Winnipeg Free Press - fwd from harmful-hydro list where
it was posted by Manitoba Premier's assistant hence the header below.
-Dianne
----- Forwarded message from Donne Flanagan -----
From: Donne Flanagan <dflanaga@mts.net>
Subject: [harmful-hydro] Chief Primrose tired of running around to correct PCN claims: Winnipeg Free Pres
Cree fail to halt Hydro deal
U.S. utility refuses to cut ties over treatment of Cross Lake band
Thu, Apr 26, 2001
By Helen Fallding
MINNEAPOLIS -- One of the United States' largest power utilities
rejected a shareholder bid yesterday to cut ties with Manitoba Hydro
over its treatment of the Cross Lake Cree.
But lobbyists for the Pimicikamak Cree Nation say the nine per cent
of Xcel Energy shareholders who supported them represent a solid
first step in turning international opinion.
"It's a major accomplishment," Chief John Miswagon said yesterday
after Xcel's annual meeting at the Minneapolis Convention Centre,
attended by about 1,800 shareholders.
Michael Passoff, associate director of the As You Sow corporate
responsibility foundation, which backed the motion, said nine per
cent is probably more than the three largest Xcel shareholders
combined.
Along with a full-page ad in the New York Times on Monday, Passoff
said the vote sent a "clear message to management that this issue has
solid support and is likely to grow unless the company addresses
shareholder concerns."
Miswagon blames Manitoba Hydro for suicides, drownings and poverty on
his reserve ever since massive rerouting of the Churchill and Nelson
rivers in the 1970s destroyed fish habitat and flooded trapping
grounds.
But his Cree neighbours from Nelson House and Split Lake flew to
Minneapolis yesterday to contradict him.
Marcel Moody of Nelson House said road access and television are as
much to blame for the loss of traditional culture that devastated
aboriginal communities across the North.
'Set a foundation'
"The impacts were 30 years ago. Nature has a way of healing itself,"
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Jerry Primrose told reporters. His
Nelson house band and the Cree from Split Lake want to work with
Manitoba Hydro on building new dams in their territories.
"We want to be able to set a foundation for our youth," Primrose
said.
The likelihood of those dams going ahead depends on the outcome of
negotiations with Xcel to extend a 500-megawatt contract with
Manitoba Hydro until 2015.
Despite yesterday's bad publicity, Xcel CEO Wayne Brunetti said
negotiations are in their final stages. Without the Manitoba Hydro
power -- about four per cent of the utility's supply -- the
reliability of Xcel's system would be jeopardized, he said. "You'd
have a California situation."
Xcel board chairman Jim Howard said Manitoba Hydro would have no
problem selling the power to another buyer.
Primrose said he is getting tired of running around trying to correct
misconceptions created by the Cross Lake Cree, who sometimes claim to
represent all northern Manitoba Cree. The latest insult is a
Minneapolis-based group of environmentalists who have adopted the
acronym CREE -- short for the Campaign to Respect Energy and the
Environment.
But Lea Foushee, the Cherokee shareholder who proposed the anti-Hydro
motion at the Xcel meeting, said first nations are only collaborating
with Manitoba Hydro out of desperation. "It's not their right to
destroy Mother Earth . . . . They will answer to the Creator for what
they have done."
Brunetti said he is willing to go to Cross Lake, 100 kilometres south
of Thompson, to meet PCN and Manitoba Hydro, but he will not get in
the middle of their negotiations over flood compensation.PCN has
rejected a $100-million deal, including $60 million in Hydro bonds.
Other northern first nations, including the Cree from Nelson House
and Split Lake, have already signed compensation deals.
Miswagon said he hoped yesterday's publicity would get the PCN talks
going again.
About 10 Winnipeg environmentalists from Consumers for Responsible
Energy participated in yesterday's demonstration. "We don't want to
play into (U.S. President) George Bush's hand -- exploiting Canadian
waterways for American desires," Jen Heinrichs said.
At the Summit of the Americas last week, Prime Minister Jean Chretien
talked to Bush about the potential for more hydro development in
Manitoba.
- 30 -
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----- End of forwarded message from Donne Flanagan -----