FORT MCMURRAY — A report says the eviction of a Metis settlement in Fort McMurray four decades ago disrupted the community’s way of life and had lasting effect on people’s lives.
The report examines the removal of the Metis from Moccassin Flats in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
It says at the time, the town and the housing subsidiary of oilsands giant Syncrude collaborated to evict the Moccasin Flats families to make way for an apartment tower, which stands today, and a marina, which was never built.
Longley and Joly interviewed affected families who said they considered the area home and their community was fragmented after the evictions.
The report recommends compensation, a land transfer, a monument and cultural centre, as well as a formal apology.
