Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) Newswire

May 28, 2012

Call For Support

Tsilhqot’in Protest Outside of Taseko Mines Ltd. AGM

Friday, June 1st@ 12:00 noon - 2 pm

837 West Hastings Street

Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories

Williams Lake Tribune - May 23, 2012

Editor:

Socialism begets ultra conservatism. Like a bouncing ball, the populace of Greece has had a government giving into demands, to eventually be replaced by a government that will introduce severe cost cutting measures. There is no way that Greece can avoid the massive economic cutbacks and changes that are heading its way.

Looking to Canada and B.C., what is necessary is a government where neither party has the power to do things, as we have seen here in B.C., like the introduction of HST, or the sale of BC Rail without strong opposition and educated leadership.

Federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, the potential next leader of Canada, blames the oil sands as being the primary cause of an increased value of the Loonie for causing the high number of manufacturing jobs heading south. For a leader of a party, a socialist party, where the oil sands production is today primarily financing Canada’s social safety net, Mulcair’s position reflects a lack of knowledge of global affairs.

North America is buying goods from China, China’s currency is pegged to the U.S. dollar, and China is hoarding those dollars to keep the value of China’s currency devalued, so that China can maintain a continued trade advantage.

The process also devalues the U.S. dollar against world currencies including the Loonie. Oil sands not-with-standing, a weak U.S. dollar causes many Canadian-based American manufacturing companies to look back home for a more economical manufacturing environment.

Mr. Mulcair should be aware that the U.S. is further devaluing their currency by printing increasing amounts of their devalued dollar, to pay for a growing deficit, a deficit that has grown by $4.9 trillion in the three years since socialist-leaning Obama became president.

The devaluation of the U.S. dollar is pushing the price of commodities, including oil, to record highs putting Canada in the enviable position of avoiding the financial crunch of countries like Greece and even the U.S.

In B.C. the NDP has taken a position against economic development, and job creation, such as the Enbridge pipeline and the New Prosperity mine.

For the future of Canada and B.C., what is needed in both B.C. and Canada are governments that operate on educated common sense. With attitudes like Mulcair and Dix’s I am skeptical of the future.

Doug Wilson

Williams Lake

http://www.wltribune.com/opinion/letters/153241865.html

Williams Lake Tribune - May 23, 2012

Editor:

Re: the letter Mine opposition creates party confusion.

The letter writer suggests that Charlie Wyse should propose some alternative project since he has come out in opposition to the Taseko mine plan.

Wyse is correct in opposing it. The last review panel stated in its report (p. 65) that “the panel agrees with the observations made by Taseko and Environment Canada that Mine Development Plans 1 and 2 would result in greater long-term environmental risk than the preferred alternative.” Yet Taseko is now proposing a mine plan based on option 2. The risk to the Taseko River system is too great.

What Wyse does need to propose is that the province stop the mining of the forests of British Columbia. The government needs to assemble a credible inventory of the existing forest resources and to begin actively to address the reality of the thousands of hectares of NSR lands in the province. The province needs to seriously begin to manage the health of the forests that have sustained the B.C. economy for decades, and can continue to do so with some care and attention. The Williams Lake Forest District has four foresters to deal with all of the issues in that vast area. Not so long ago there were 10, and that was inadequate. Other jurisdictions manage to retain a much larger team of managers.

The forests of B.C. are a sacred entity which we are entrusted to look after for our children and grandchildren. They should not be forced to say at some time “they had a wonderful resource, varied and sustainable, and they blew it through shortsightedness and greed.” The mine opposition does not create confusion; it creates alternatives.

John Dressler

Williams Lake

http://www.wltribune.com/opinion/letters/153240725.html

Friends of Nemaiah Valley - May 22, 2012

Hello all Friends of Friends of the Nemaiah Valley;

For the 10th year in a row, FONV is pleased to announce a speaker as part of our Annual General Meeting.

When: Monday, June 4th, 8:00 p.m.
Where: Garry Oak Room, Fairfield Community Centre, 1335 Thurlow Road, Victoria, B.C.

This year, we are pleased that Jay Nelson, a lawyer with Woodward and Company since 2002, has agreed to be our speaker. Jay is committed to assisting First Nations in achieving recognition of their Aboriginal rights, through education and awareness, consultation and accommodation, negotiated settlements and, where necessary, litigation.

Jay graduated from the University of Victoria Faculty of Law in 2000, where he received the Law Society Gold Medal. Upon graduation, he served as a law clerk for the Chief Justice of Canada, Beverley McLachlin. Jay then joined Woodward and Company and has spent the following years as a member of the legal team for the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation and the Tsilhqot’in Nation in their historic Aboriginal title and rights claim, Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia.

With co-counsel  Sean Nixon, Jay acted  for the Tsilhqot’in Nation in their opposition to the proposed Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine, which was rejected by the Federal Government in November 2010. He appeared as co-counsel on behalf of Tsilhqot’in Nation in the Tsilhqot’in Nation appeals argued before the B.C. Court of Appeal in November 2010.

Last December, while acting as counsel for the Tsilhqot’in National Government, Jay successfully argued that the Tsilhqot’in people were not properly consulted before the B.C. government granted two work permits to Taseko. Subsequently Judge Grauer granted the Tsilhqot’in National Government an injunction against Taseko Mines Ltd. coming onto their territory. Since then, the TNG allowed Taseko to proceed with exploration in order to do work required for their Environmental Impact Statement.

Jay will give us an update of what’s happening with the “New” Prosperity Mine project and the coming CEAA process. This should be of great interest to anyone who has been following this ill-conceived proposal as it goes forward for a second round of hearings.

This talk is free and open to the public.  Please share.

Cheers,
FONV
info@fonv.ca

Williams Lake Tribune - May 16, 2012

The Cariboo region has an abundance of opportunities to expand mineral exploration and extraction as a means to offset any falldown in economic activity resulting from the mountain pine beetle. Along with the expansion of the Gibraltar and Mount Polley mines, opportunities exist for both new and expanded hard rock and placer operations.

Every mineral opportunity realized will create jobs and bring economic benefits to Cariboo communities. In order to realize this potential, however, mining must adhere to three basic principles: minimal ecological footprint, respect for First Nations rights and title, and maximum economic and social returns to British Columbians, who are the true owners of B.C.’s mineral resources. The evolving relationship between Mount Polley Mine and the Williams Lake Indian Band serves as an example of how companies can have productive relationships with First Nations. Spanish Mountain Gold provides another example.

The government has also recently taken a leadership role in addressing the First Nations referral backlog in the Cariboo region by assigning a specific staff person to this function for placer operations. However, the mining community has informed me that they still have “permitting angst” — that the permitting process is still understaffed and economic opportunities in both mineral exploration and extraction are being lost as a result. The industry also has concerns about a growing skilled labour shortage and fears that without a plan to address this, more temporary foreign workers will need to be used, limiting the social and economic benefits that local communities will receive from mining activity. A concern I’ve also heard is the increasing regulation and fees imposed on mineral exploration and small to medium-placer operations.

As we celebrate Mining Week, my hope is that the government will make sure the issues that may prevent us from realizing the full potential of mining in the Cariboo region are addressed, in partnership with miners, First Nations, and local communities.

Bob Simpson is the Independent MLA for Cariboo North.

http://www.wltribune.com/opinion/151806715.html

Williams Lake Tribune - May 16, 2012

Editor:

In a recent radio interview, Williams Lake’s provincial NDP candidate Charlie Wyse said that he had sent a note to Minister of Environment Peter Kent in support of First Nations drumming. I find nothing wrong with those who support people of various persuasions in following what they believe to be fair presentations; everyone should have the right to their opinions and Wyse expressed his on this subject.

Wyse followed up his comments, however, regarding the First Nations drumming by expressing the view and the position of the NDP party regarding the development of the New Prosperity mine. Wyse said that the NDP, as expressed by leader Adrian Dix when he was here in Williams Lake last year, was against the development of the New Prosperity mine.

As the forest industry heads into decline, where many jobs in the greater community will be lost, I find that any position against the development of alternate industry that would in the process develop employment opportunities, whether it be the development of a new mine or otherwise, to be an astounding position for any political party to take.

Taking a position against alternate employment sources, in the Williams Lake Area where the NDP is both generally speaking supported by labour and having at the same time a sincere hope of winning an election, unless I am wrong, is in reality shooting themselves in the foot.

Unless the NDP party is supporting something on the horizon that could offer employment opportunities somewhat equal to what the New Prosperity mine is offering to this community, many people in the community are going to be in a quandary as to whom or whom not to vote for in next year’s coming provincial election.

It is good for the NDP to enunciate their position on issues of importance in communities such as Williams Lake. However, to be against something of this nature and to say it out loud at this time seems like very strange politics to me.

I would say that those who speak up against job creation at a time like this and prior to an election will, without alternate development plans, create confusion within their own party. I for one see life as a matter of give and take.

Being against something without offering something in exchange makes no economic sense.

Doug Wilson

Williams Lake

http://www.wltribune.com/opinion/letters/151806195.html

Williams Lake Tribune - May 14, 2012

Editor:

The word is out that the CEO of Taseko Mines has asked that during the upcoming New Prosperity hearings that First Nations be somewhat tempered in their drumming.

One problem that I note with spontaneous drumming is that there is no explanation regarding the purpose of the drumming, at the recent New Prosperity presentation, without warning or prior explanation, and unexpectedly and again without warning outside the door of the Gibraltar Room. The drumming very loudly interrupted the presentation. We are told that this drumming is part of First Nations spiritual heritage. This is fair and quite understandable. As with all groups there are differing ways to request that a guiding spirit be present with such a presentation.

Most non-natives are in the dark, however, and do not understand what exactly the drummers are drumming about, or exactly why. If drumming is a spiritual prayer, understandable to First Nations culture, First Nations, prior to such drumming need to have a person share an explanation and enlighten those in attendance exactly the purpose of the drumming.

As a comparison, at any public function should an individual stand up and make a loud boisterous religious preaching scene, spiritual or otherwise, that individual would very likely be ejected from the proceedings. How does unexpected drumming differ?

It seems to me that it be only fair to all who attend public functions where First Nations may be inclined to drum, including the upcoming New Prosperity hearings, that prior to the start of the drumming that someone from the First Nations explain the purpose of the drumming, prior to drumming, so that all in attendance can better understand the spiritual significance of their drumming, and that the drumming prayer not be so long that it overtly stifles or interferes with normal and acceptable democratic proceedings.

In this predominantly Christian world, most people would understand, and if not bow their heads, at least would sit quietly and respectively during the process of a drumming prayer. It behooves the First Nations to make it clear by spoken word prior to spontaneous drumming what exactly they are praying or drumming about, or for.

Doug Wilson

Williams Lake

http://www.wltribune.com/opinion/letters/151464605.html

Williams Lake Tribune - May 14, 2012

Editor:

Russell Hallbauer’s recent letter submitted to the environment minister projects more than caution, but desperation, paranoia, and fear.

It reflects the colonizing efforts made by the company to reduce indigenous people’s participation in the process.

Of the two arguments established, the first focuses on the extent that First Nations are categorically biased and can never be objective; the second implies that the previous panel gave “priority status” to First Nations perspectives, which influenced the decision.

First, Taseko Mines already requested Ms. Nalaine Morin be recused from the former panel for her advocacy role with the Talhtan Heritage Resources Environmental Assessment Team, saying she may be “biased.” An independent law firm reviewed this and the report determined that a bias did not exist with the evidence filed. While Hallbauer’s doubt lingers, it exists also amongst First Nations, who believe that panel members who have benefited financially from mining before may be tainted as biased towards the industry they once profited from. So it’s near impossible to rely on pure objectivity.

Second, Hallbauer raises concerns that the panel may have given special treatment to the Tsilhqot’in and Secwepmec communities. Considering prayers and songs before a meeting has been a long-standing custom.

It seems disrespectful for an outsider, whether the panel members or Taseko Mines executives, to come into a host community and demand unilaterally what the formalities should be. As if Hallbauer knew anything about aboriginal rights, it appears he somehow forgot that the Crown is legally obliged to accommodate the interests of First Nations through every step of the decision-making process.

While this rarely comes to fruition with satisfaction, the accommodation of the host country’s customs should be welcomed.

Hallbauer’s letter reflects his colonizer status, and it appears he hopes to convince the minister that domination and bullying is normal. It appears again that Taseko Mines is not interested in any relationship with the people who belong to the land.

Russell Myers

Williams Lake

http://www.wltribune.com/opinion/letters/151464395.html

HQCariboo.com - May 13, 2012

Greg Fry Williams Lake

The leader of the BC Conservative Party shared his views on the New Prosperity mine while on a trip through Quesnel earlier this week.

 John Cummins says he supports the mine adding time is of the essence: “we have to really get to work to make sure that we can move ahead more quickly with approvals because in my view we are driving a lot of business out of British Columbia, a lot of good well paying jobs are leaving here because of the tardiness in getting these approvals through.”

Cummins didn’t seem overly concerned about the impact a new mine would have on the environment.

“that’s the case with most of the mining that goes on here in BC, it’s a small (environmental) footprint, but the jobs are big, they pay good money, and that’s what we need here in BC.”

Cummins was in Quesnel speaking to the Cariboo Mining Association.

http://hqcariboo.com/news/news/Local/12/05/13/JOHN-CUMMINS-A-BIG-SUPPORTER-OF-NEW-PROSPERITY-MINE-PROPOSAL