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Premier Ed Stelmach has delayed his visit to Fort Chipewyan. Before traveling to the hamlet and listening to the health concerns of residents, the Premier is now requiring the community’s leadership to sign on to the parameters of a baseline health study. However, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation — the

Premier Ed Stelmach has delayed his visit to Fort Chipewyan.

Before traveling to the hamlet and listening to the health concerns of residents, the Premier is now requiring the community’s leadership to sign on to the parameters of a baseline health study. However, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation — the second largest First Nations’ community in Fort Chipewyan — has refused to sign on, arguing that what the province has proposed is inadequate and does not address the concerns of residents.

For years, Premier Stelmach refused to acknowledge Fort Chipewyan’s health concerns or travel to the community. Initially, the Premier claimed health concerns were entirely unfounded, concocted by ‘silk-suited’ environmentalists and the media. However, after health and pollution studies seemed to confirm the concerns of residents — as well as a visit by Hollywood film director James Cameron — the Premier backtracked from his initial position.

Instead, the Premier claimed that he took the community’s concerns seriously and had in fact actually visited Fort Chipewyan. When these claims were scrutinized, Stelmach once again backtracked stating that he had never actually been to Fort Chipewyan, but had traveled to Northern Alberta. After questions began to emerge over the Premier’s priorities, Stelmach vowed to travel to Fort Chipewyan, meet with residents directly, and demonstrate his commitment towards addressing the community’s concerns.

Now, that commitment is once again being questioned as the Premier has placed conditions on his visit, requiring Fort Chipewyan’s leadership to endorse a study many find inadequate. Whether this is an attempt to prevent what will surely be a high profile event or a public relations management strategy, Premier Stelmach’s decision to delay his visit does not demonstrate a genuine commitment to address the community’s concerns.

At this point, there’s likely little that will.