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Posts tagged Chief Joe Alphonse
Call For Support - Tsilhqot’in Protest Outside of Taseko Mines Ltd. AGM - Friday, June 1st
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
The struggle to stop Taseko Mines Ltd. (TML) from building a gold and copper mine on unceded Tsilhqot’in Territories continues outside of the TML annual general meeting on June 1st. Tsilhqot’in chiefs and community members will be rallying outside of the meeting and have called for support from their allies as they take a stand to protect their territories, the Taseko watershed and Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) from the proposed “New Prosperity Mine”.
In the “new” proposal TML has suggested that they won’t drain Teztan Biny or Fish Lake, however the new tailings pond it is planning to build will destroy two other bodies of water that are vital to the survival Teztan Biny. “Fish Lake will still be on life support and die a slower death” says Chief Marilyn of the TNG. It is unimaginable that a company is allowed threaten Teztan Biny in pursuit of a proposal that both the CEAA and Taseko have acknowledged is more environmentally damaging that the proposal that was already rejected last year.
“The company is on record admitting this new option is worse than the one that was rejected last year, and a CEAA review panel has already agreed with that assessment,” said Chief Joe Alphonse, Chair of the Tsilhqot’in National Government, which represents six First Nations. “To proceed any further will place an unjustified burden on us and on taxpayers and will demonstrate the excessive influence that this company, its lobbyists and hired guns have on government.”
Allowing this application to be heard the government is also setting an unjust precedent for companies to continually drain the time and resources of communities even when projects have been rejected. The suggestion then is that the ecosystem and rights of indigenous communities can never be protected through the environmental assessment process.
Meanwhile, federal and provincial governments continue to completely ignoring the right for self-determination of Tsilhqot’in communities as well as concerns from CEAA federal panel and the public. The Tsilhqot’in and their allies stood up against government and industry to stop this project over a year ago, and we need to do it again.
JOIN US JUNE 1st! BRING NOISE MAKERS, SIGNS, AND YOUR VOICE!
For more information contact hgrewal@canadians.org / 604 340 2455
Review panel selected for New Prosperity
Williams Lake Tribune - May 9, 2012
The review panel for the federal environmental assessment of the proposed New Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine Project has been established.
On Wednesday Peter Kent, federal minister of the environment and minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, announced the three panel members and the panel’s terms of reference for the environmental assessment.
Kent has appointed Dr. Bill Ross as the panel chair, as well as Dr. George Kupfer and Dr. Ron Smyth as panel members.
Reacting to the announcement, Tsilhqot’in National Government Chair and Tl’etinqox (Anaham) Chief Joe Alphonse says the panel guidelines have scaled back the obligations around aboriginal rights.
“That would initially be a point of concern for myself. I think we have the largest right and title case ever won in B.C. and in Canada and those are issues the federal government has to take very seriously, over and above the scientific-related thing the panel has to do,” Alphonse says, adding the federal government has a duty to protect aboriginal rights.
Aboriginal rights will be something his government will be demanding and pushing for, he insists.
While he’s disappointed a First Nations member with all the right qualifications was not appointed to the panel, Alphonse says he’s confident the panel is legitimate and will arrive at the right decision.
Brian Battison, Taseko Mines Ltd.’s vice-president of corporate affairs, says Kent’s announcements are important steps in a process that’s unfolding.
“The terms of reference look to be consistent with the minister’s commitments. There’s a 12-month process, the review is focused on what has changed in the project, i.e. preserving Fish Lake, and the process is relying on the work done on the previous environmental assessment to the extent possible,” Battison says, adding Taseko does not intend to comment on the make-up of the panel.
According to a news release, Ross is a professor emeritus at the University of Calgary in the Faculty of Environmental Design. He has focused most of his research on the professional practice of environmental assessment and has extensive expertise on cumulative effects assessment.
He has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Manitoba and a Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University.
Ross has developed training, taught and advised on many aspects of environmental assessment in Canada and internationally.
In addition to teaching postgraduate students, he has delivered training courses to further the practice of environmental assessment in many countries. In 1994, he headed the Canadian Mission to the Middle East to determine environmental assessment capabilities and needs as part of the Multilateral Peace Process.
He is the founding president of the Western and Northern Canada Affiliate of the International Association for Impact Assessment. He has chaired the Independent Environmental Monitoring Agency for the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories for five years and has worked with the four aboriginal groups involved for a decade. In 2009, Ross was the winner of the Rose-Hulman Award from the International Association for Impact assessment.
The news release says Ross has considerable experience as a member of environmental assessment review panels in Alberta and British Columbia. He chaired the federal review panel for the Oldman River Dam and he served on the joint review panels for the EnCana Shallow Gas Infill Development Project and the Joslyn North Mine Project. He participated on the federal panels reviewing the twinning of the Trans Canada Highway in Banff National Park and the CP Rail Rogers Pass Project and was a member of the joint federal-provincial review panel established for the Alberta-Pacific Pulp Mill. He was an advisor on cumulative environmental effects to the Cheviot Coal Mine Review Panel in Alberta.
Kupfer is a consultant focusing on community consultation, conflict resolution and mediation related to social and environmental issues and industrial development. He has a B.A. from Seattle Pacific University, as well as a Master’s and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Washington. He taught at the University of Alberta for 15 years, before establishing his own company, Fresh Start Limited. Dr. Kupfer primarily works in western Canada and lives in Sidney, British Columbia.
Kupfer has facilitated many community consultation and stakeholder engagement initiatives related to industrial projects and their impacts. He has led multi-stakeholder consultations on drilling applications, gas pipeline developments, sour gas issues, transmission line route selection, on the relationship of the environment and the economy, and forest conservation strategies. He facilitated a multi-stakeholder review of the Alberta environmental impact assessment process and on developing agreements between First Nations, Métis and the government in the Wood Buffalo Region.
For a short time he was the public consultation advisor to the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and afterwards assisted in a number of board consultation and mediation projects. He has facilitated Crown consultation processes with First Nations for the federal and Alberta governments and advised the National Energy Board on the development of an internal aboriginal consultation process and on dealing with pipeline emergencies. He has worked with First Nations and Métis, industry, individuals, communities and government departments in Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
Kupfer has served on numerous environmental assessment panels, specifically related to water management issues. He was recently a member of the joint federal-provincial panel reviewing a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Peace River near Dunvegan, Alta. He was also a member of panels reviewing water management projects for the Pine Coulee and Little Bow/Highwood projects in Alberta, and for reviews of the Jackpine and Horizon oil sand developments in northern Alberta. He managed the review panel of the Alberta-Pacific Pulp Mill and served as social impacts advisor to the Oldman River Dam Panel. Until recently he was a member of the Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project Review Panel until the project was withdrawn.
Smyth is a professional geologist and independent consultant. He holds a Ph.D. in geology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He spent most of his career in government geological survey organizations; first with the Newfoundland Geological Survey where he held senior positions in geological mapping and mineral resource assessments from 1972 to 1982. He joined the British Columbia Geological Survey in 1982 as a mineral land use specialist and prepared regional assessments of mineral and coal potential for land and resource management planning processes.
Smyth was director and chief geologist of the British Columbia Geological Survey from 1984-2002 and was the principal advisor to the B.C. government on geological matters relating to minerals and coal. He has broad experience in the application of geology in the assessment of proposed new mines. He was a scientific advisor to the B.C. Mine Development Review Process in the 1980s and was responsible for a team of geological experts that provided scientific input to assessments of proposed new metal and coal mines. He also held the position of chief science officer for the Offshore Oil and Gas Team, B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources from 2002 to 2008. In this position he was the government’s expert on the geology and resource potential of the Pacific offshore basins and was the Ministry’s chief advisor on science issues related to offshore energy development. He interacted with a range of stakeholders, including First Nations, non-governmental organizations, industry, academia, and the public.
Smyth was an adjunct professor, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria and was co-chair of the University of Victoria-Ministry of Energy and Mines Research Partnership Committee from 2004 to 2008. He has been a member of numerous scientific advisory boards. He resides in Victoria, B.C.
The terms of reference, the guidelines, as well as additional information on the project, are available in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry on the agency website at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca, under reference # 11-05-63928.
Taseko Mines: First Nations Input On Prosperity Mine Should Be Limited
Huffington Post Business Canada - May 1, 2012
TML slammed for offensive attack on Aboriginal participation in Prosperity Mine review
Tsilhqot’in Territory, May 1, 2012: A deeply offensive letter from Taseko Mines Ltd (TML) to the Harper government, urging Environment Minister Kent to impose new limits on First Nations participation and remove key Aboriginal concerns from the review of its rebid Prosperity Mine proposal, raises fears that the company’s lobbying could reduce the federal review to a version of British Columbia’s weak “rubberstamp” process that approved TML’s first, discredited bid.
In a recently obtained Nov. 23, 2011 letter to Minister Kent, TML President and CEO Russell Hallbauer urges Minister Kent to:
· Prohibit Aboriginal prayers or ceremonies at the start of Panel hearings – even though this is a matter of basic respect by governments and tribunals when engaging with First Nations;
· Impose new limits on our communities’ ability to expressing their views, including those of our youth, whose future is at stake, and by banning videos and other commentaries; and
· Prevent the Panel from considering the spiritual importance of the area to the Tsilhqot’in people, even though this is central to our culture.
The profound spiritual importance of this area to the Tsilhqot’in people was a significant factor in the decision of the federal panel that reviewed the original Prosperity Mine proposal. That proposal was soundly rejected by the Federal Government in November 2010, in part based on permanent, high magnitude impacts on Tsilhqot’in culture and cultural heritage.
“This is a black eye to the mining industry and we hope it is not one it would endorse, but we are not surprised that Mr. Hallbauer would write such an offensive letter,” said Chief Alphonse. “We have warned over and over again that this company does not understand or respect First Nations or our issues. This letter proves, once again, that this is the wrong project, in the wrong place, by the wrong company.”
Mr. Hallbauer’s letter underscores concerns raised earlier by TML’s campaign to prevent the new Panel from deciding the significance of impacts on Aboriginal rights. The previous Panel concluded that the original Project would have significant impacts on Tsilhqot’in Aboriginal rights.
First Nations are alarmed that the draft Terms of Reference for the new Panel, which are expected to be finalized any day, would drastically reduce or even remove the new Panel’s mandate to consider impacts on Aboriginal rights.
Chief Alphonse added: “What concerns us is this letter is part of a major lobbying campaign by TML, which had three lobbyists registered in Ottawa on this file. The failure of CEAA or the government to assure us the rules of the game are not going to be changed for this second review – which should never have been granted in the first place – obviously makes us wonder if we should be worried that the fix is in.”
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, stated “First Nations were deeply alarmed by the Harper Government’s recent announcement to eviscerate the federal Environmental Assessment process as part of their Responsible Resource Development Plan. If the draft Terms of Reference for the new Panel, which are expected to be finalized any day, drastically reduce or even remove the new Panel’s mandate to consider impacts on Aboriginal rights, it will result in greater uncertainty and intensified conflict on the land.”
Chief Baptiste said: “Mr. Harper’s government lived up to its responsibility to the environment and its constitutional duty to protect First Nations rights by rejecting the first bid in 2010 and it surely has no choice but to do so again. However, it did take the unprecedented step of allowing this second kick at the can for TML, even though the new option was described by the first review panel, TML itself, and Environment Canada as posing even greater environmental risk than the original plan.
“Add to this the fact that the government is pushing through sweeping changes to the EA process in general, to the Fisheries Act, and now we have this letter from TML, and yes, we are concerned,” said Chief Baptiste, “But this letter shows what we are up against. We will not be silenced and we will not back down. This government endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and we know that all of Canada is watching what happens here”.
Link to Letter from Taseko Mines Ltd. to Minister Peter Kent:
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/files/20111123_Hallbauer_Kent_AboriginalParticipation.pdf
Media contacts:
Chief Joe Alphonse – 250-305-8282 or 250-394-4212
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip – 250-490-5314
Chief Marilyn Baptiste – 250-267-1401 (after 12 noon, Pacific)
Taseko letter to Minister of Environment comes to light
Welcome to Williams Lake - May 1, 2012
3 Comments- click on link at very bottom to see comments.
Taseko Mines President and CEO Russell Halbauer sent a letter to Federal Minister of Environment Peter Kent in November 2011, questioning the fairness and objectivity of the Federal Review Panel process.
(TNG drummers, singers and guests share a song during the Amnesty International presentation regarding Prosperity Mine in the Gibraltar Room last November.)
He said that the “first and most significant” concern is that, during the first federal review process, one of the panel members was acting as coordinator for a First Nations organization—advocating for land usage right.
Taseko also believes, according to the letter, that is was not appropriate for the panel to begin its hearing with an aboriginal prayer ceremony. The letter said that one of the things that questioned the objectivity of the panel were certain presentations that were allowed, including a play put on by children wearing fish cut-outs on the their heads, and then falling on the floor, symbolizing the death of the fish.
Mr. Halbauer said that another example of unfairness was what he called “a 40 minute sensational movie entitled ‘Blue Gold: the Tsilhqot’in Fight for Teztan Biny.’”
He also stated that Taseko wanted to raise concerns about spiritual issues being addressed during the review process.
Russell Halbauer concluded the letter by saying that he raised these concerns in a positive spirit, with the goal of ensuring that the next panel process is effective, efficient and fair.
“The new CEAA Panel will soon be appointed, and the fight to stop ‘New Prosperity’ Mine is increasing in strength,” stated the Friends of Nemaiah in a press release today. “It’s important to remember that not only was the proposed destruction of Fish Lake/Teztan Biny an important factor in the first refusal, the Panel also found the mine ‘would result in significant adverse environmental effects on fish and fish habitat, on navigation, on the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by First Nations and on cultural heritage, and on certain potential or established Aboriginal rights or title.’
“These issues are not resolved by the ‘new’ proposal.”
The Tsilhqot’in National Government (TNG) calls the letter from Taseko Mines ‘deeply offensive’ and states that First Nations are alarmed that the draft Terms of Reference for the new Panel, which are expected to be finalized any day, would drastically reduce or even remove the new Panel’s mandate to consider impacts on Aboriginal rights.
“What concerns us is this letter is part of a major lobbying campaign by TML, which had three lobbyists registered in Ottawa on this file,” adds Chief Joe Alphonse. “The failure of CEAA or the government to assure us the rules of the game are not going to be changed for this second review – which should never have been granted in the first place – obviously makes us wonder if we should be worried that the fix is in.”
Today’s press release from the TNG says that the profound spiritual importance of this area to the Tsilhqot’in people was a significant factor in the decision of the federal panel that reviewed the original Prosperity Mine proposal. It states that proposal was soundly rejected by the Federal Government in November 2010, in part based on permanent, high magnitude impacts on Tsilhqot’in culture and cultural heritage.
“This is a black eye to the mining industry and we hope it is not one it would endorse, but we are not surprised that Mr. Hallbauer would write such an offensive letter,” said Chief Alphonse. “We have warned over and over again that this company does not understand or respect First Nations or our issues. This letter proves, once again, that this is the wrong project, in the wrong place, by the wrong company.”
The original letter can be found at this link:
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/files/20111123_Hallbauer_Kent_AboriginalParticipation.pdf
New Prosperity plan puts lake on ‘life support’: Tsilhqot’in chief
The Tyee - April 17, 2012
Click on link to see comments
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Environment/2012/04/17/Lake_Life_Support/index.html
Open houses are underway for the New Prosperity project, a controversial copper and gold mine proposed for the Cariboo Chilcotin region.
About 100 people attended an open house hosted by the mine’s proponents, Taseko Mines Ltd., yesterday in Williams Lake, according to the Williams Lake Tribune. Another is scheduled for tonight in 100-Mile House.
In its original project proposal, Taseko sought to drain Fish Lake — or Teztan Biny, as its known by the Tsilhqot’in First Nation — and use it to store waste rock generated by mining activities. That proposal was accepted in 2010 by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (later criticized by the provincial Auditor General for failing to adequately assess the environmental risks of large-scale development projects like mines) but was ultimately rejected by a federal environmental review panel.
Last year, Taseko came back with another proposal for New Prosperity which locates the tailings pond two kilometres from Fish Lake instead of beside it. Waste rock would be hauled to another location.
“This investment, along with the benefit that will flow from it, can be accomplished without significant risk to the environment and with the very highest standards of mine development being practiced in the world,” Brian Battison, Taseko’s vice president of corporate affairs said at the open house presentation.
The Tsilhqot’in Nation issued a press release yesterday criticizing the new plan, saying it “merely puts the lake on temporary life support.”
“We saw in the last environmental assessment how far the company’s predictions were from reality,” stated Tsilhqot’in National Government Tribal Chair Chief Joe Alphonse in the release. “The company said there would be no significant impacts. But an independent federal panel described a whole range of massive cultural and environmental impacts. This company has no credibility with us.”
Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.
“…the very highest standards of mine development being practised in the world.”
I guess this guy gets his “worldly” mining info from trade publications only. This is the type of hogwash I’d expect from Clark/Campbell. Not that much difference.
Yep, it’s definitely on life support, with chances of survival slim to none.
I guess this guy gets his “worldly” mining info from trade publications only. This is the type of hogwash I’d expect from Clark/Campbell. Not that much difference.
Yep, it’s definitely on life support, with chances of survival slim to none.
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Working for a government with no credibility like that robo company who has no problem with the Conservatives using their robo machines to fix elections. Not a peep, but because Martin was outraged because of illegal undertaking along with fellow Canadians he gets slapped with a lawsuit that only has the company to blame. The MP didn’t do it deliberately or with malice but with the belief Canadians democracy was highjacked by the US company whose machines put out the robo calls. Talk about a questionable company, even after Martin gives his apologizes for his honest mistake the company is outraged, while Canadians who are ripped off of their democractic system are ignorned. Racknine has its circuts filled with real time criminals who use the companies resources freely without any clinch.
Want to fix an election? Racknine has robo machines that work. -
I have taken a Civil Disobedience course. I am ready for the blockade. It’s a good thing I’m basically a pacifist, or I would be using Cockburn’s solution and “make somebody pay”.
And this is nothing compared to what “Canadian” mining companies are doing elsewhere (Tanzania, Philippines, Guatemala, etc.).
At least here they are (were?) subject to our government’s close and scientific environmental scrutiny.
Streamline the project APPROVAL process, eh?
Chiefs lobby in Ottawa against mine
Williams Lake Tribune - April 5, 2012
Tsilhqot’in National Government Chair Chief Joe Alphonse and other First Nations leaders are in Ottawa lobbying against Taseko Mines Ltd. and its proposed New Prosperity Mine.
“We just finished meeting with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada,” Alphonse told the Tribune Wednesday.
“This project has gone through an assessment already and been rejected. The process should be tightened up and made tougher for the company to reapply,” Alphonse said, adding the TNG is prepared to go back to court to protect its interests.
Welcome to Williams Lake - March 7, 2012
Press releaseXeni Gwetín Chief Marilyn Baptiste is at the University of Victoria this afternoon giving a presentation on Fish Lake—an event sponsored by the UVic Environmental Law Clinic.
Chief Marilyn has recently returned from Geneva where she presented the Tsilhqot’in report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 80th Session. The Tsilhqot’in report focused on the fight to protect Teztan Biny and the surrounding environment and the underlying legal situation which ignores First Nations rights and title.
“The Tsilhqot’in are prepared to go to the international level to protect our Nation’s rights and title,” said Chief Joe Alphonse, Chair of the Tsilhqot’in National Government. “In the case of the rebid Prosperity Mine proposal, we feel that we’ve nearly exhausted every possible avenue to resolve this at the local level, though we will continue to take our fight to the new federal Panel review.”
The full Tsilhqot’in report to the UN is availaible here:
Tsilhqot’in slam Taseko lawsuit against Wilderness Committee
Business in Vancouver (BIV) - March 6, 2012
The Tsilhqot’in First Nation has come out swinging against Taseko Mines Ltd.’s (TSX: TKO) lawsuit against the Western Canada Wilderness Committee (WCWC) over its criticism of the New Prosperity mine proposal.Last week, Taseko filed a defamation suit against the WCWC and its outreach director Sven Biggs for what it calls defamatory statements authored by Biggs and posted on the WCWC’s website. (See “Taseko Mines sues Wilderness Committee for defamation” – BIV Business Today, March 2, 2012.)
Taseko CEO Russ Hallbauer said in a statement the company had filed the civil claim only after “repeated requests … to correct the record” had failed.
The dispute is over the New Prosperity copper-gold mine near Williams Lake, which was rejected after a federal review and then revised. The revised proposal is now subject to an ongoing environmental review.
In a press release, Tsilhqot’in tribal chairman Chief Joe Alphonse said his people were shocked by Taseko’s lawsuit against the environmental organization, but vowed it would not stop First Nations in the region from speaking out against the proposal.
“We will certainly not be silenced by what appears to us to be a clear attempt to mute opposition and stifle criticisms,” Alphonse said.
“If it is libelous to dispute unproven claims and to present alternative views, then what is the point of having public hearings?”
Xeni Gwet’in Chief Marilyn Baptiste said, “Muzzling environmental groups is not the way to earn credibility. What is clear is that this action by [Taseko] will not silence us.”
The WCWC has criticized the revised New Prosperity mine proposal as being worse than the original plan from an environmental standpoint.
Alphonse said a federal review panel also made the observation that the alternative now being considered would have greater long-term environmental risks than the “preferred alternative” (the original plan).
Nelson Bennett
nbennett@biv.com
@nbennett_biv
