REGINA, Sask. — Two Saskatchewan First Nations are demanding further consultation on the Bell AI Data Centre project.
Carry the Kettle First Nation has gone public with a letter calling for an immediate pause to the AI data centre, currently under construction in the RM of Sherwood.
In its letter shared on Facebook Oct. 5, the First Nation voiced concerns about potential impacts and a lack of engagement or consultation.
"Our Nation has concerns about how this project could impact our Treaty, water, land, wildlife and surrounding communities," it stated in a Facebook post.
"A project of this scale cannot go forward without any environmental assessment. We are asking for an environmental assessment and meaningful consultation with our Nation before this project moves forward. Our land and water need to be protected for our people today and for future generations. Carry the Kettle First Nation will continue to stand firm in protecting our land, water and Treaty rights."
A few days earlier, Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation also made public its own letter sent to Mirko Bibic, CEO of Bell Canada, about the project. The correspondence was signed by Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation Chief Rodger Redman. In an update to band members on social media, the First Nation provided further details about what it was requesting from Bell Canada.
"Today, Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation will issue formal correspondence to Bell Canada requesting technical reports, environmental assessments and regulatory approval records for the AI data centre being constructed near Regina within our unceded traditional Dakota territory," it posted on Facebook Oct. 2.
"Chief Redman is seeking this information so our Nation can assess potential environmental implications, understand how electronic waste will be managed and determine how Standing Buffalo’s rights have been considered in the development process."
Opposition New Democrats are pointing to the two letters and demanding accountability from the provincial government.
"Indigenous participation is imperative when developing a project on Treaty land. The requests of Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation and Carry the Kettle First Nation must be answered," said NDP MLAs Leroy Laliberte and Brittney Senger in a joint statement Tuesday.
"Scott Moe, Jeremy Harrison and the Sask. Party continue to ignore calls for transparency, answers and meaningful engagement on this project—from First Nations leadership, municipalities and everyday people. We support both Nations’ calls to action and urge the Sask. Party government to not only engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue with Carry the Kettle and Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation, but to pause the project until that consultation has occurred and their questions have been answered."
In speaking to SaskToday, Laliberte voiced support for the letters from the chiefs, calling them "valid concerns."
"The consultation process obviously wasn't done, because they've included that in their statement. You know, their concerns of an environmental study, they don't know if that was done, and that's something that our team couldn't find either. So, it's definitely a concern when you're doing a consultation process, it's supposed to be done with everybody that would be affected by this. Now, their concerns are to the lands, to the animals, to the water, and these are the types of concerns that would be brought forward if there was a consultation process done by this government."
Bell Canada Group president John Watson said at an announcement at the Bell AI Data Centre construction site last week that Bell was interested in providing information about the project.
"Our commitment is straightforward. We'll continue to engage, listen, provide support and information, and answer questions openly," he said.
But Laliberte said he believes the government should be providing information as well.
"I'm thinking that the information, the valid information should come from the government because they are responsible for Saskatchewan residents. And, obviously, they've been meeting with Bell."
He said any information they have on the AI data centre should be given to residents of the RM of Sherwood as well as to the First Nations, because "the Nations feel as if they're left out from these closed doors and meetings, because that's exactly what they've been seeing and seeing it for a long time."
Laliberte said the government's "duty to consult is something that needs to happen with everybody and not exclude anybody from that process."
He also pushed back against Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison's assertion at last week's announcement that the NDP's calls for more consultation were about preventing the project from getting done.
"The Opposition, when they talk about consultation, it's not actually for consultation,” Harrison said. "It's to obstruct and stop the project from happening."
"That's 100 per cent incorrect," Laliberte responded.
"That's not what we're doing here. Responsibility, again, as part of that consultation process is to ensure that everybody knows what is going on. And something that I've said before, I wouldn't go into somebody's backyard and start building something without them knowing what exactly what it is that's being done or asking for permission, for example. And this is something that this is exactly the way that the government is working right now. We're all about growth, but there's responsibility through that process."
In response to the NDP, the government provided this statement:
“The Bell AI Data centre is the largest private sector investment in Canadian history, bringing $52 billion in investment, up to 1,200 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs to Saskatchewan.
“As with any major development, the project will be subject to applicable environmental assessment, regulatory and permitting requirements to help identify, assess, and mitigate potential environmental impacts and ensure compliance with relevant legislation.
“Our government is proud to support this investment and will continue working with Bell and our community partners as the project progresses.”
