The Opaskwayak Cree Nation is taking the federal government to court over what it calls the massive impacts of a hydroelectric dam built in the 1960s.

 

A trial between OCN and the Crown began Monday in Winnipeg, with elders testifying about how the Grand Rapids hydro project disrupted traditional ways of life.

 

The dam was installed on the Saskatchewan River in 1964. After a drum ceremony in court Monday morning, OCN lawyer Harley Schachter outlined the long history of impacts caused by the project.

 

By the 1970s, mudflats had formed on Kelsey Lake, reducing access to the water and contributing to a sharp decline in fish populations.

 

Opaskwayak Cree Nation is seeking damages from the federal government, alleging Canada breached its fiduciary duties and failed to properly consult or accommodate community members’ land-use and treaty rights.

 

The Grand Rapids Hydro Project was originally conceived by the Manitoba government and Manitoba Hydro.

 

Federal Court Justice Sébastien Grammond is presiding over the case, which is expected to last four weeks.