Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area
Tags: contaminants, social sciences, traditional food, lead
| Principal Investigator: | Skinner, Kelly (9) |
| Licence Number: | 16824 |
| Organization: | University of Waterloo |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2021
|
| Issued: | May 17, 2021 |
| Project Team: | Brian Laird, Kirsty Gurney, Jordyn Stalwick, Calin Lazarescu, Mylene Ratelle, Jerome Comte, Leon Andrew, Deborah Simmons |
Objective(s): To design a future lead monitoring program that would answer community concerns, and promote country food consumption, traditional Dene lifestyle and well-being while also helping to reduce exposure to contaminants.
Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4902. This project is a preliminary project, mainly based on literature review, to investigate what is currently known about lead exposure and lead sources in Northern Canada. In parallel, some work would be done to engage and prepare for a following project monitoring lead in the Sahtú region. These findings will support the design of a monitoring plan in the future. The future lead monitoring program would answer community concerns, and promote country food consumption, traditional Dene lifestyle and well-being while also helping to reduce exposure to contaminants. The project includes: 1) a knowledge review / synthesis of lead biomonitoring level, and exposure sources in northern regions; 2) the development of a survey on the lead exposure for people, 3) an initial assessment of lead levels in hunter-shot birds; and, 4) the measurement of lead in tap water and surface water already collected in the past around Fort Good Hope; as well as, 5) the measurement of lead in fish already collected in Fort Good Hope in the past. Compiled results of the lead test will be given to Fort Good Hope leadership. To succeed in the communications in the past, we worked frequently with interpreters and facilitators, who have come to know the projects. In line with previous projects, the research team will provide the community contacts with bi-monthly phone/email updates of the research progress. Four times per year, the team will send newsletters on the recent project activities to community partners. The research team will also send direct communication to community members, partners and participants through yearly postcards (>250 in the Sahtú) and regularly update the social media accounts to have an online presence. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from May 18, 2021 to December 31, 2021.
