How many more years?
by Chris Covel

It has been over a year now for many things. It has been over a year since Joseph Shecapio-Blacksmith died, and over a year that they have not released his cause of death as he requested be done. It has been over a year since the government of Quebec was supposed to release their Environmental Impact Study on the admitted mining contamination in the Oujé-Bougoumou area. It has been over a year since the government of Quebec released a Health Risk Assessment which did not mention the mines when allegedly that is what the report was supposed to address: mining contamination health issues. It has been over one year since the USA went to war in the Middle East, causing the price of gold and copper to increase by sabre rattling and using the increased gold and copper production to fuel the war machine and the war mongers’ pockets. It has been over one year since anyone has mentioned the mining contamination or Joseph.

Over one year. Over one year and still the heavy metals from the toxic mine tailings continue to leach into the water, the “blood” of the Cree peoples. Over one year and the leaders have been silent on this issue. One year too long.

Over one year since Joseph and I met with Senator John Sununu in Manchester, New Hampshire, where the Senator said to Joseph, “How can I help you?” Over one year since Joseph walked out of that meeting, turned to me in amazement and said, “I have been asking for help from our government for so many years and no one has ever said that to me.” Over one year since the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent back a three page letter to Joseph with nine contact people who could help him. The leaders only had to ask.

Over one year since Joseph and I went to the Annual First Nations Conference in Boise, Idaho, to see and talk to the Coeur d’Alene Eenou to see how they got the US government to clean up their problem of waste from the gold and copper toxic waste tailings. Over one year since Joseph and I reviewed the laboratory analysis from Aquarian Analytical, Inc. documenting levels of heavy metals thousands of times over the legal limit. Over one year since CBC released three documentaries on Maamuitaau showing the contamination going into waters of the Chibougamau, Obatagamau and Doré lakes. It has been over one year since I first saw it with my own probing geologic eyes.

No. I am wrong. It actually all began almost five years ago. It has however, been over one year since the government acknowledged it knew about the problem. How many more years? How many more lakes? How many more fish? How many more ecosystems? How many more lives?

How many more years until the government of Quebec proves the Agreement in Principal (AIP) works: new ways to show the world how aboriginal peoples and governments work together. If this is the way the Cree leaders and the Quebec government are going to work together it may only be a generation before the Cree Eenou/Eeyou no longer exists. The Cree slide into history as have most other great indigenous cultures of this earth.

We have been without our friend Joseph Shecapio-Blacksmith for over a year. He is still waiting. So am I. I am still alive. I am not going away. It has been over a year. Actually it has been over 50 years. Where is the leadership? Is this what the AIP brought? Continuous pain and suffering for the Cree? My wait is over. The government has had their chance to prove me wrong and they didn’t. I made a promise. I gave my word to Joseph. The time for talking is over. The time to clean up the toxic wasteland is now. I will never give up.