Federal minister apologizes, promises better communication with Fort Chipewyan, Alta.

The federal transportation minister is apologizing for her department's failure to notify residents about persistent contamination at a dock in Fort Chipewyan, Alta., and is committing to building the community's trust. 

Fort Chipewyan leaders learned over the summer that there are contaminants at a federally-owned wharf, known in the community as "big dock," where community members swim, fish and launch their boats. They discovered a government commissioned report from 2017 noting "heavy contaminants" that a toxicologist says could be linked to types of cancer and skin rashes. The community leaders say the department never told them.   

Minister Anita Anand, testifying Thursday before the federal standing committee on transport, infrastructure and communities, said that her priority is to update the environmental assessment of the dock and do so in complete collaboration with the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), the Mikisew Cree First Nation and the Fort Chipewyan Métis.

"The lack of transparency and communication with Chipewyan and other communities is unacceptable and this is the issue that I want to address," Anand said. 

She said that the report shows there's no risk to human health, though a toxicologist who testified to the committee Tuesday said that's because the assessment focused on the site as commercial rather than recreational — which meant the report missed ways that residents could be exposed to risk.

"This is why we need to update the study," Anand said in response to those concerns. She said they would do so with the Indigenous nations at the helm and the government there to support them and also foot the bill.  

Anand said that a new assessment has been ordered. She also said that her department has established a single point of contact for the work to improve communication and that she's provided Fort Chipewyan leaders with her personal contact information. 

"So at any point when the process is not proceeding in a way in which the nations want, they can contact me and I've invited them to do so."

What was shared with the community

On Tuesday, hours before Fort Chipewyan leaders appeared before the committee, the minister sent a letter to ACFN saying the department had previously notified the Mikisew Cree First Nation and Fort Chipewyan Métis of the contamination. Leaders from both groups, however, say they have no recollection of receiving that information.

The committee ordered the minister to provide that documentation as evidence. At Thursday's meeting, the minister said the department had provided historical scientific reports to Fort Chipewyan, but never explicitly said there was contamination.  

Anand said that's because none of the reports found risk to human health. 

"Now that I'm in the chair, I know better," she said. 

Anand only became the minister of transportation in September but she said since that time she's stressed the need for more proactive communication. 

"I do apologize for the actions of the department of transportation over the last number of years. I have been equally frustrated at the way things have transpired," she said.

Where did the contamination come from

Committee member and Liberal MP Vance Badawey asked the minister about the source of the contamination. He said it's the province of Alberta's responsibility to identify where the contamination came from and to remediate it and asked if that work has begun.   

Anand said she's in the process of arranging a meeting with the province. She said answering where the contamination came from will involve multiple levels of government and departments. 

"But I will stay on top of it," she said.

At Tuesday's meeting, Fort Chipewyan leaders said that discovering the contamination has caused panic among residents concerned about exposing themselves and their children to the area. They called on the feds to provide resources to support members' mental health. 

Anand said she's discussed this with Indigenous Services Canada and that they "are ready and they're willing" to discuss options for how to support Fort Chipewyan residents.