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Blockade set up on road to Conawapa Dam

By John Ahni Schertow

Hunters and Trappers from the Fox Lake Cree in Northern Manitoba set up a blockade yesterday, on the road leading to the Conawapa dam. They say the noise linked to exploration activities is scaring off their game.

Apparently, “Manitoba Hydro is negotiating with the band leadership to find a way to accommodate the hunters’ concerns—” providing of course they can keep their construction schedule.

From the Winnipeg Free Press – Manitoba Hydro president Bob Brennan said he is talking to the band leadership of the Gillam-area Fox Lake Cree Nation, 765 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg about the blockade.

The hunters are from Fox Lake. They erected the blockade Monday near the entrance of a road that is the only access into the Conawapa Dam exploration site. The site also houses construction workers to buildthe dam.

The blockade is not endorsed by the band.

The hunters are angry because they say noise linked to exploration activities, including the sound of low-flying helicopters is scaring off their game.

Manitoba Hydro is negotiating with the band leadership to find a way to accommodate the hunters’ concerns at the same time it keeps its construction schedule.