Dear Mr. Walz:

On behalf of the Tataskweyak Cree at Split Lake, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to meet and to express at the Gateways to Justice Forum a different perspective from another Cree First Nation (Tribe) in Northern Manitoba.

The power point presentation that we made on Tuesday evening seeks the support of the St. Paul Area Council of Churches. We mentioned to you the support we received from the Diocese of Keewatin and I am enclosing to you a copy of that letter. I believe you received or will receive shortly a copy of our power point presentation so that you may have it for your records.

Diane Peterson, one of the panelists, presented at the lunch meeting a shareholders resolution or proposal that she intends should be presented at the next shareholders meeting of Xcel Energy Inc., and it is our understanding that she seeks support of the St. Paul Area Council of Churches for this resolution. Please be advised that this resolution runs counter to the goals and aspirations of the Tataskweyak Cree Nation. It would be sadly ironic if good hearted people who desire to see past wrongs remedied actually achieve more harm to the Northern Cree, keeping us from meaningful, respectful participation in the 21st century economy. We ask that the St. Paul Area Council of Churches give our people respect for their right to self-governance, self-determination and decision making. We ask for respect for Tataskweyak' right to choose, after careful deliberation, to participate in the development of the generating station at Gull Rapids. We wish the opportunity to move away from dependency on welfare, and to give our young people hope for a better future. People with hope do not despair.

At our meeting, we left with you a copy of the map of Manitoba, showing the location of five First Nations, Split Lake (Tataskweyak), Cross Lake (Pimicikamak), Nelson House (Nisichawaysihk), Norway House and York Factory, all being signatories to the Northern Flood Agreement in 1977, along with the Governments of Canada and Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro. All five First Nations suffered serious adverse effects upon their reserves (reservations) and importantly, to their traditional resource areas which are also shown on the map. Split Lake is where the waters of the Lake Winnipeg Regulation and diverted waters from the Churchill River meet, before proceeding down the lower Nelson through generating stations to Hudson's Bay.

As will be apparent from the map, any development at Gull Rapids (Keeyask) is well outside both the Cross Lake (Pimicikamak) reservation area and Pimicikamak traditional territory. The Gull Rapids site is more than 180 feet below Cross Lake as the river flows. Since the generating station at Gull Rapids is planned to be a run of the river system, its operation will not affect the operations of the Jenpeg Control Structure within Pimicikamak traditional territory. In those circumstances, Cross Lake (Pimicikamak) will not be harmed by this future development at Gull Rapids that is being considered by Tataskweyak.

Our concern is that inherent in the proposed resolution and its preamble to Xcel shareholders, and in statements made by those supporting the resolution, is the position that Minnesotans should stop buying power from Manitoba Hydro. As you know from our meeting, Tataskweyak does not support that position, and on the contrary, encourages Minnesotans to consider to continue to use what, in the world of energy production, is a renewable clean source of power. The possible future development of a generating station at Gull Rapids and the economic benefits that might flow to our community at Split Lake will be dependent, in no small degree, upon the ability to export power into the United States.

As will be obvious, Pimicikamak at Cross Lake do not speak for Split Lake Cree, and from what you heard at the Church meeting, Pimicikamak does not speak for Nisichawaysihk at Nelson House. In fact, we are unaware of any other aboriginal peoples for whom Pimicikamak does speak.

Our history is documented in the position paper that we left with you, “Our Voice”. Tataskweyak Cree are proud of their achievements:

1. Being a signatory to the Northern Flood Agreement in 1977, which provided for not only obligations of the Governments and of Manitoba Hydro to the Cree, but an arbitration mechanism to force obligations to be complied with, if they were not being met.

2. Being the first First Nation in Northern Manitoba to negotiate and sign an Implementation Agreement with the Governments of Canada and Manitoba, and Manitoba Hydro in 1992. That Agreement is not a “buy-out” of our rights under the NFA, as some have suggested, but defines our rights, and protects and preserves them. We also negotiated an enhancement of our rights, in many areas, including our rights in respect of impacting future developments, of which the Gull Rapids project would be one.

3. Pursuant to those future development rights, signing an Agreement in Principle in October of 2000 with Manitoba Hydro for the possible development of a generating station at Gull Rapids, Tataskweyak would be entitled to an equity ownership interest and we would have a right to determine and vote upon a negotiated Development Agreement as to whether the Project should proceed. The Project is not a “done deal”, but Tataskweyak have the right to assess it, and if Tataskweyak find the Project to be acceptable, to enter into a Joint Development Agreement. It is important to note that we have gained recognition and respect for our processes of applying aboriginal knowledge to the Project. The OWL process of which we spoke (Overview of Water and Land) and the Mother Earth ecosystem model that we left with you are, we believe, a world first in the utilization of aboriginal knowledge, which will be used not only to assess the environmental impacts of the proposed project, but which will be first used as a decision making tool so that our people may make their determination in whether or not they choose to sign a Joint Development Agreement with Manitoba Hydro.

Throughout all of these processes, democracy has ruled on our reserve (reservation). Throughout, the processes have been driven by our people and there is a continuing dialogue and information exchange with our people so that they may give direction as we progress.

We have great empathy for our brothers and sisters at the Pimicikamak Cree Nation. They, like Tataskweyak, suffered greatly because of the hydro projects of the 1970's. They have a right to have the provisions of the NFA implemented, and they may choose their own path. It is our understanding that they have continual ongoing discussions with Manitoba Hydro and the other parties to the NFA, as to how it may be implemented, and it is also our understanding that they have used the arbitration provisions in the NFA to advance their positions. What Tataskweyak have difficulty with is the Pimicikamak claim that others should boycott the purchase of power from Manitoba Hydro until the implementation is satisfactory to Pimicikamak. We have difficulty with this for the first obvious reason that a boycott would directly harm Tataskweyak Cree interests. Secondly, it has not been clear to us in any of the public statements that we have seen made by Pimicikamak, as to exactly what implementation means in any detailed sense. We do not know how one could objectively determine when Pimicikamak's needs were met and when the boycott could be lifted. Moreover, if the leadership at Pimicikamak was to change or if the leadership at Pimicikamak changed their position, how would they undo the effects of the proposed Xcel resolution, were it passed?

Tataskweyak Cree has offered and continues to offer to meet with other First Nations, including Pimicikamak, who wish to know better the path Tataskweyak Cree has chosen. We are ready to share the knowledge and information with our brothers and sisters. We also respect the right of each First Nation to choose its own path. However, we must object when we are not extended the same courtesy, particularly with respect to decisions that concern our land, our waterways, our resources and our lives.

We look forward to your advice as to whether the St. Paul Area Council of Churches will support our activities and the proposed resolution.

Yours truly,

Tataskweyak Cree Nation

Per:

Victor Spence

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