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Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace follows the struggles of Diane Abel and Chief Roland Willson of West Moberly First Nations as they battle the British Columbian government against the construction of a multi-billion-dollar mega-dam along the Peace River, commonly known as Site C Dam. If constructed, it will give way to the extinction of their people’s culture by destroying the land and water they have occupied for over 13,000 years.

In the dead of winter, Diane Abel, a proud Dunne-Za grandmother, protests to defend her ancestral lands from the impending construction of yet another dam along the Peace River (Site C Dam). Chief Roland Willson shows up for every court battle as per his nation’s wishes. As lifelong residents of West Moberly, they are committed to remaining good stewards and in good relations with the land and the water. Site C will destroy what remains of their unique ecosystems, migration routes, burial grounds, fish, and hence forever destroy their cultural identity. This would violate the treaty they signed with Canada which states they can continue their traditional way of life as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the river flows. The provincial government vows to get Site C “past the point of no return” and issues a $420 million lawsuit against their own citizens who protest the dam - unheard of in Canadian history. BC Hydro has already strategized a “divide-and-conquer” approach by signing settlements with four out of the six nations who were initially involved in the fight. The First Nations, ranchers, farmers and supporters organize a cross-country caravan to appeal the case against Site C to the Supreme Court of Canada. The support gained is overwhelming, and leads them to have hope that their appeal will be heard. They are not your typical environmental activists, but the proverbial “cowboys and Indians” banding together to protect the Treaty 8 land they rightfully share. All of the appeals are dismissed.

However, political shifts lead to a new Premier creating new hope. When the courts abruptly overturn provincial decisions on the premise that Site C is not in the public interest, a glimmer of hope is offered to Diane, Chief Roland, and the members of West Moberly. Site C could be permanently put to rest. Despite the new government's promises, Site C is officially declared “past the point of no return” and the dam’s construction will proceed as planned. In an act of solidarity, all forty nations of Treaty 8 gather for the first time. They want to honour the treaty that was signed in 1899, to protect the water, the land, the treaty, and their cultures. A final court date is set to invalidate this decision (and save their culture from extinction) is set for 2022 – will Diane and Chief Roland’s efforts be enough?

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Distributor: Green Planet Films

Length: 83 minutes

Date: 2021

Genre: Expository

Language: English

Grade: 10-12, College, Adults

Color/BW:  Color

Closed Captioning: Available

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