A photo of the caravan participants. Courtesy the Treaty 8 Justice for the Peace Caravan Facebook page.
A Caravan travelling across Canada raising awareness about a proposed mega dam site in British Columbia is stopping in Saskatoon Tuesday night.
The group is aiming to bring attention to the Site C dam project, which organizers say is an infringement of treaty rights and believe will also be damaging to the local environment.
West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations are currently in a legal battle with the government over the project.
A court case is set for September 12th in Montreal. The group is travelling across the country in support of the two First Nations and plans to make many stops along the way to raise awareness on why they think Site C should be stopped.
“This is one of the largest environmental infractions in British Columbia and possibly Canada,” said organizer Yvonne Tupper on why she decided to be a part of the caravan.
The key focal point of Tuesday’s event will be to get the message out to all Saskatoon residents of what organizers feel will be a negative impact by Site C on the Peace River Valley.
Nipawi Kakinoosit, from Sucker Creek Cree Nation in Alberta, says he joined the caravan because he feels the case will be important for all treaty’s across the country. He says the caravan is also looking to raise funds for the legal battle as well.
“These court cases we are constantly having to deal with are draining our local economies,” said Kakinoosit. “We are trying to offset that balance as individuals and these solidarity groups to offset those costs.”
Both Kakinoosit and Tupper are asking both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the Saskatoon area to come out in solidarity with their cause.
They are meeting at Victoria Park.
The Caravan will have many more stops before reaching their destination in Montreal.