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Footprints in the Delta

1999 43 min
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The Peace-Athabasca River Delta is a stunning habitat. Rivers converge in a rich, marshy wetland before draining into the Slave River. But the Delta is in trouble. Since the building of the WAC Bennett Dam in 1967, annual floodwaters--once the ecosystem's lifeblood--have become a thing of the past. The Delta is drying up, and lakes and wetlands are being replaced by brush. Species like the muskrat are disappearing. Footprints in the Delta explores the changes that have buffeted the region for several decades. Scientists, activists and Indigenous Peoples describe how lives have been fundamentally altered by the changes. And satellite …

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Footprints in the Delta

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The Peace-Athabasca River Delta is a stunning habitat. Rivers converge in a rich, marshy wetland before draining into the Slave River. But the Delta is in trouble. Since the building of the WAC Bennett Dam in 1967, annual floodwaters--once the ecosystem's lifeblood--have become a thing of the past. The Delta is drying up, and lakes and wetlands are being replaced by brush. Species like the muskrat are disappearing. Footprints in the Delta explores the changes that have buffeted the region for several decades. Scientists, activists and Indigenous Peoples describe how lives have been fundamentally altered by the changes. And satellite images show the dramatic pace of degradation. Footprints in the Delta is essential viewing for anyone who cares about wetlands. It is a revealing account of the rapid change and environmental havoc humans can bring to a delicate ecosystem.
  • participant
    Willie Couterielle
    Sonny Flett
    David Schindler
    Fred Marcel
    Jeff Green
    Terry Prowse
    Alan McLeod
    Lea Bill
    Doug Stewart
    Archie Waquan
    Archie Cyprien
    Fred "Jumbo" Fraser
  • director
    Peter Campbell
  • post-production director
    Katherine Rankin
  • additional direction
    Dorothy Schreiber
  • narration - writer
    Helen Brisbin
  • narrator
    Susan Cardinal
  • editor
    Marke Slipp
  • cinematographer
    Doug Cole
  • additional cinematography
    Wes Doyle
    Daron Donahue
  • camera assistant
    Dale Jahraus
  • location sound
    Garrell Clark
    Clancy Livingston
    Don Paches
    Christopher Tate
  • assistant editor
    Susan Crandall
    Paul Fafard
    William Sorochan
    Brenda Terning
    Rollie Wight
    Gerald K. Wilson
  • consultant
    Terry Prowse
    David Schindler
  • scientific advisor
    Aubrey Lang
    Wayne Lynch
  • stock footage research
    Kelly Thomas
  • archival research
    Elan Ross Gibson
  • remote sensing graphics
    Dennis Jaques
  • animated graphics
    Mike Tomiuk
  • original music
    Mo Marshall
  • online editor
    Kevin House
  • colour correction
    Joe Owens
  • electronic titles
    Stephen Nichols
  • sound editor
    Downy Karvonen
  • assistant sound editor
    Shreela Chakrabartty
  • sound mix
    Paul Sharpe
    Miguel Nunes
  • production supervisor
    Kelly Isaac
  • program administrator
    Margaret Smith
  • executive producer
    Graydon McCrea
  • producer
    Katherine Rankin
    Jerry Krepakevich

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Education

Ages 14 to 18
School subjects

Canadian geography, the environment and Indigenous ways of life are covered in this documentary that can inspire research, discussion, action and deeper learning. Does the Crown owe an outstanding lawful obligation to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in relation to damages sustained as a result of the construction and operation of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam? How is the disregard for Dene livelihood and connection to land as a means of cultural survival apparent in the creation of the Dam? What part does the hydro dam play in contributing to the access to traditional food, and how would this affect the health and well-being of the Dene? How have lives been fundamentally altered by the changes in the Delta? How is the treatment of land reflective of the treatment of Indigenous Peoples’ human rights? Discuss how easy it can be to ignore the impacts of ecological changes when they happen thousands of kilometres away from urban settings. What responsibility do all citizens have to be stewards of the land so that it will sustain us in a healthy way for generations to come?

Footprints in the Delta
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