Crowsnest Lake, AB. (Photo: Dave Whitten)

When looking at the above photo it’s not hard to see why First Nations people saw the power and the beauty of this once pristine part of the world.

The late Barney Reeves is the archeologist who discovered the Indigenous fish camp on the shore of this lake which dates 6,000 to 8,000 years ago. Back then and at first glance it would be hard to not think that this gorgeous body of water lying under the watchful eye of Crowsnest Mountain wasn’t special and worthy of investigation. To establish an actual fish camp speaks to the bounty that these First Peoples were able to realise, which made a significant contribution to their ongoing way of life.

But sadly, what lies below that surface film of water is tragic. The beautiful but highly contaminated Crowsnest Lake is the heart of this effort in launching a court challenge. The intention is to hold entities accountable and to take responsibility for restoring this headwater lake of the Crowsnest and Oldman river systems back to its healthy origins, and being able to provide First Nations with an unquestionably acceptable food source once again.

To view the report provided by Environment Alberta’s own scientists please click here.

The effects of high levels of selenium on fish, in this case trout, are grotesquely upsetting. Alevin, or newly hatched trout, will show spinal curvature, yolk sac edema and hemorrhage, missing fins and severe facial deformities.

This next one is particularly upsetting.

Below are 2 rainbow trout with missing gill plate covers caught in the Crowsnest River. That gill plate is integral to the protection of the gills themselves where the highest concentration of blood is for the purpose of dissolved oxygen / carbon dioxide exchange. The gills are extremely vulnerable and damage to them often results in severe blood loss causing death.

Crowsnest River trout - (Photo: Katie Morrison)

Crowsnest River rainbow trout - (Photo: Tracy Glen)

Premier Smith is gifting Albertans $100.00 of our own taxpayer money under the guise of an energy rebate. This has been referred to colloquially as Dani-dollars, but they are your dollars. We invite you to reinvest them with the possibility of guaranteed long-term dividends for water quantity and quality.

Trevor Bastien, son of Harley Bastien, the late, highly respected Piikani Elder and environmental steward, has taken up a legal action started by his father. “Harley’s Vision”, the name Trevor chose for his commitment to restore to clean water and healthy fish, honours his father’s legacy.

Government of Alberta scientists have proven all tested fish in Crowsnest Lake were and continue to be poisoned by coal mine selenium and other contaminants to the point they are unfit for human consumption. This is a result of effluent originating from a mine located on Tent Mountain which was decommissioned 40 years ago but continues to pollute. Despite full disclosure of research documents to the appropriate government ministers and departments, nothing has been done to mitigate this travesty.

This is a direct denial of First Nations Treaty and Constitutional Rights to catch and consume wild fish from public waters.

In early May, appropriately on Mother’s Day, a small group of Piikani Elders, Piikani Nation citizens and others gathered on the shores of Crowsnest Lake. We joined together in a ceremonial prayer circle, gifted with tobacco and smudge. The Elders, wise and dignified, quietly shared a message of sadness but also, hope. Trevor and his daughter attended. Trevor’s message, from the heart, spoke of his father’s commitment to righting the wrongs against Mother Earth, and shared examples of the Bastien family’s efforts to do so.

We invite you to join Trevor in helping to fulfill Harley’s Vision. Ackroyd LLP, Edmonton, with a reputation of many successes with environmental issues, has been retained to represent Trevor and his Nation as they move forward demanding their Treaty Rights be honoured. We anticipate this action may reach the Supreme Court of Canada.

Ackroyd LLP has served Demand Letters to Australia based Evolve Power (owner of the Tent Mountain coal mine), Environment Alberta, Alberta Energy Regulator and Environment Canada (collectively, these Entities). The cease-and-desist letter demands that these Entities immediately stop, or require Evolve Power to immediately stop releasing selenium effluent into the Crowsnest Lake and river system and that they undertake a complete removal of accumulated selenium sediment in the lake bottom. None of them has voluntarily agreed to this reasonable demand.

Because none of the named Entities are prepared to meet the required demand, as they ironically continue to monitor, the next step is to secure an Order from the Court of Appeal forcing them to restore Trevor’s First Nation rights to a healthy source of fish from Crowsnest Lake. If the Entities fail and/or deny compliance of this Order we anticipate this constitutional case may eventually end up at the Supreme Court.

We invite you to invest in Trevor’s Trust for the protection of the quality and quantity of our waters. This is a lofty goal, but doable and attainable. Your financial support using your energy rebate or simply donating to this important action is sincerely appreciated and integral to the success of this initiative. Crowsnest Headwaters has partnered with the Chinook Water*Shed Crew Society in order to make this happen.

Harley’s Vision was all encompassing. He emphasized the importance of honouring relationship, as the strands of interconnectedness impact everybody and everything. As well, reciprocity is essential for mutual benefit. By offering financial support we will honour his vision and get Trevor closer to his goal.

Working together we will meet the goal of clean water in perpetuity.

If you would like to be kept apprised of the progress to meet Harley’s Vision, legally and financially, we will send out periodic updates. Please provide us with your email by replying to: harleysvision@thewatershedcrew.org

All donations big or small are welcome and appreciated.

E-transfer to: trevorstrust@thewatershedcrew.org

Cheques may be issued to Trevor’s Trust and sent to:

Trevor’s Trust - The Chinook Water*Shed Society

PO Box 3226 Claresholm, Alberta T0L 0T0

If you choose, there are several ways to donate your ENERGY REBATE to Harley’s Vision.

If you are already receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit, your Energy Rebate will be automatically deposited to your bank account.

If you do not receive the Alberta Seniors Benefit, you need to create or use your existing Alberta.ca account to apply.

The link to the Energy Rebate application is here:

Any and all donations can be e-transferred to: trevorstrust@thewatershedcrew.org

Donated funds will be transferred to Trevor Bastien’s retainer account with Ackroyd LLP. The Chinook Water*Shed Society will collect and administer all monies.

Crowsnest Headwaters

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