In a September 27, 2007  update, Dawn Mikkelson & Jamie A. Lee (Director/Producer & Co-Director/Editor of Green Green Water) refer to Norway House as “another northern community considering the construction of a large dam in partnership with Manitoba Hydro.”

Norway House First Nation is not among the Manitoba First Nations who are considering construction of a large dam in partnership with Manitoba Hydro.

The September 27, 2007 update also states “Although Manitoba Hydro often points to pro-Hydro Chiefs (such as Jerry Primrose and former opponent Jim Moore), elected tribal officials do not always reflect even a simple majority of the views expression in their community about a particular issue.”

The update disregards the fact that the Wuskwatim generating station project being developed by Manitoba Hydro in partnership with the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation was approved by a majority vote of the First Nation membership. See results of vote.

The requirement for a vote by the First Nation membership on the Wuskwatim project was set out in an Agreement in Principle negotiated between Manitoba Hydro and the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in 2001.

Green Green Water incorrectly identifies Jim Moore, the newly elected Chief of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, as a “vocal opponent” of the Wuskwatim generating station project.

Chief Moore has written to the Producer/Director of Green Green Water stating “I am not an opponent of the Wuskwatim Project and do not wish to be referred to in this manner. In fact, I was an early supporter of the project.”

Chief Moore has requested that his position be made clear on the film’s web site, at all showings of the film, and in any future version of the film. View Chief Moore’s letter to Dawn Mikkelson.

Green Green Water states the Northern Flood Agreement “promises to eliminate mass poverty and unemployment.”

Schedule E to the Northern Flood Agreement (NFA) states that the parties to the NFA undertake to "work towards a comprehensive Community Development Plan" for each of the five NFA Cree Nations. "The Community Development Plan shall serve as a policy coordinating instrument, setting forth the best-case community development scenario and joint action program for the eradication of mass poverty and mass unemployment and the improvement of the physical, social and economic conditions and transportation."

This is a far cry from a simple promise to eradicate mass poverty and unemployment. This error has been pointed out to Dawn Mikkelson but has not been corrected in the film.

How strong is an argument that has to be supported by obvious and deliberate misrepresentation and distortion through presenting incomplete information and quoting out of context?

Green Green Water says the South Indian Lake fishery was closed in 2005.

South Indian Lake fishermen voluntarily chose not to fish in the spring of 2005 and 2006 to protect spawning walleye.

Green Green Water suggests the South Indian Lake fishery was devastated by hydro development.

Since hydro developments impacted South Indian Lake, the annual catch has fluctuated widely; it peaked at 549,921 kg in 1994, and has averaged 336,000 kg (1976 to 2003) which is higher than pre-development levels. Nonetheless, in 1984, Manitoba Hydro entered into an agreement with the Fishermen’s Association and provided $2,525,000 for all past and future impacts to the commercial fishery. In summary, Manitoba Hydro has provided compensation for a complete buy-out of the commercial fishery (the fishery rebounded after this compensation agreement was signed), has continued to provide assistance through additional compensation and programs, and has recently initiated joint monitoring studies with the community.

Green Green Water suggests hydro development devastated the community of South Indian Lake.

Only a handful of homes were directly affected. Of greater concern, however, was the difficulty in maintaining reliable access to both sides of the community, which was located on the east and west shores of a channel that connected Southern Indian Lake with another body of water, South Bay. Fluctuating water levels in some years meant that solid ice might not be available throughout the winter and the residents on the west shore may have been cut off from access to the rest of the community. A decision was made, with the concurrence of the community, to relocate all homes on the west bank of the community to the east side, with new modern housing provided to all who were to be moved. In all, some 58 new houses were provided to the community, along with a new community hall, a new school, and a new airstrip. The community was connected to the provincial highway system and the provincial electricity grid and a water treatment facility was installed. Treated water was to be made available at standpipes in the community. Over the past 30 years more than $33 million in compensation has been provided to South Indian Lake. Included in this is more than $3.7 million paid to SIL fishermen through several agreements, including a $2.5 million settlement in 1984 for all past, present and future loss and damage to commercial fishing in SIL.

Here's what a government report (A Study of South Indian Lake in 1967 by Van Ginkel Associates for the Manitoba Development Authority) said about the community:

• "But even if one would foresee greater efficiency and productivity and improved marketing of fish and fur for the future, this type of community represents a dead end way of life. This conclusion may be based on factors of socio-economic change without even considering the purely physical question of whether the future resource of fish and fur will be sufficient to maintain a rapidly growing population at even current levels of subsistence." Van Ginkel, P. 6 Volume 1.

Green Green Water suggests Manitoba Hydro provided substandard houses at South Indian Lake.

In the mid 1970’s Manitoba Hydro provided new homes to residents who were relocated. The housing was designed by an architect and residents had various models from which to choose. Efforts were made to ensure that the new homes met or exceeded Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation standards and would be long lasting and durable. Pressure treated wood footings or concrete perimeter footings were used. Interior walls were made of 3/4” ranchwall plywood instead of drywall. Wall insulation met or exceeded the standards of the day.  The houses were equipped with electric heat, but also had the necessary fittings so that residents could install wood stoves for heating if desired. “The consensus here is that these are the best homes this community has seen.”-- March 20, 1975 Winnipeg Free Press, “New Sense of Buoyancy at South Indian Lake” by Bob Lowery.

Contrast these homes to a description of housing at South Indian Lake before development from the Van Ginkel Report. Housing “is substandard by any southern criteria in terms of both space and amenity. Most are considered substandard by the residents themselves.” (Volume 1, p. 2) A survey of 61 household found “89% are log framed. Framed houses, double logged houses, and plywood houses account for a further 14%. Many of these houses - 37 of 61- had only one room. In many houses, the kitchen and bathroom were in the same room as the living room; only 20 out of 61 houses had kitchens, and only 23 of 61 had bedrooms.” The report observed “Most of the houses are old.” Thirty-nine per cent of the houses were less than 300 square feet in size; 60% were less than 400 square feet.

View pictures of original housing at South Indian Lake

View pictures of replacement housing at South Indian Lake. 

In the film Carol Kobliski, spokesperson for a group known as the Nelson House Justice Seekers who are supporters of the film, states hydro development forced her family from their island home.

Here is her brother’s testimony before a committee of the Minnesota Senate-

“I have spoken with many of my family members to make sure that I’ve got the facts straight. Our island was not –we did not move off that island as a result of flooding. The family moved off that island prior to any flooding occurring and because of negotiations with the Province of Manitoba for them to attain housing in another area and that was the reason for the move.

But it is being purported that somehow Manitoba Hydro flooded my family right off the island and that is the reason we moved and relocated, that I want to say is not true.” -Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Councilor Elvis Thomas, appearing before the Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee of the Minnesota Senate, Friday March 12, 2004