Shocking allegations surfaced during hearings, which were held at the beginning of 2018 on the effects of energy development. Report from the Manitoba`s arms-length Clean Environment Commission contained accusations on behalf of the Fox Lake Cree Nation.
The report states that hydro development in northern Manitoba, required a large workforce, so mainly male workers were brought to develop the area, that led to some improper behavior of some employees and multiple sexual assaults on a local woman. Some witnesses, spoke during the hearing, described rapes and other sexual assaults, also stated that RCMP failed to take complaints seriously at the time, so many cases were just left without any investigation.
Described events took place in Fox Lake Cree Nation in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, which makes this case a decades old, so big question is why these accusations are just coming to the light now?
On the other hand, the report also contains facts about harmful environmental effects caused by such hydro development in more than one northern communities and requires for detailed research, as well as a plan or a program of what needs to be done to remove the negative effect of such development in the region.