Once Upon an Oldman is an account of the controversy that surrounded the Alberta government's construction of a dam on the Oldman River. Jack Glenn argues that, despite claims to the contrary, the governments of Canada and Alberta have not been dedicated to safeguarding the environment and the interests of Native people.

Glenn describes the geography and history of the Oldman River Basin, the institutional arrangements behind the project, and the ongoing controversy. He looks at the groups involved: the provincial and federal governments, the Southern Alberta Water Management...