Since time immemorial Wolastoqewiyik (Maliseet People) were connected physically and spiritually to the river “Wolastoq” – St. John River, for it provided our people with food, medicine, and was our highway for travel. Wolastoq – St. John River was our lifeline, our existence, it defined who we were and why we were. Today, dams separate our people, so in return we carry broken spirits because of this separation.
It is crucial that Wolastoq must be set free again to reconnect our nation, plus to cleanse and revive Herself so the Salmon and other fish species can return to their natural home.
Wolastoq Grand Council highly recommends that the Mactaquac Dam be dismantled and replaced with green energy projects such as solar, wind or run-by-river dams. This will strengthen our economy by providing jobs plus restore Wolastoq to its natural state.
Editor’s note: A spill of teresso 32 oil at the Mactaquac hydro-electric dam on July 21, 2016 occurred days before the Wolastoq Grand Council released this statement on the Mactaquac dam.