BC First Nations say stop Fish Lake Mine or we will put our lives on the line
September 5, 2010 - 9:30am
First Nations in British Columbia are warning the federal government that they will stop at nothing to prevent a mining company from destroying a fishing lake to process copper and gold.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet is expected to decide by next Friday whether it's worth sacrificing the health of Fish Lake in northern B.C. and other aspects of the local environment for the jobs that the $800-million Prosperity mine project promises to bring
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/09/02/bc-prosperity-mines-first-nations.html#ixzz0yf3nmsyd
"Taseko Corp. wants to build a gold mine by destruction," Ivona Vujica of Paradigm Shift Environmental Alliance told the Straight during a noon vigil today (September 2) close to Taseko's offices in downtown Vancouver. "It is predicated on the destruction of Fish Lake, which is on Chilcotin [Tsilhqot'in] First Nation territory. It is their land and it is their homeland. If the Fish Lake is destroyed, the Chilcotin First Nation are going to lose their homeland, and where are they going to go?"
Shortly after the vigil ended, 12 environmental groups sent out a joint press release calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to save Fish Lake, which they said is home to 80,000 rainbow trout and sacred to the Tsilhqot'in.
http://www.straight.com/article-344515/vancouver/vancouver-protesters-sl...Now comments from a sack of shit....
The province's Minister of State for Mining, Randy Hawes, said Friday that if the Prosperity mine gets the green light, natives will have to accept the decision.
"Aboriginal communities do not have a veto over land use," said Hawes.
Sources within the Tsilhqot'in Nation have been quoted as saying they would protect their land with firearms if necessary.
BC people we need to unite, call to action our friends and family and halt this travesty, calls to the federal government by all Canadians before Friday would also be a bonus.Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/09/03/bc-taseko-prosperity-threat.html#ixzz0yf7v1D3E
bumping for actioning
the Tsilhqot'in are stand up kinda people - what they say they will do they will do - the whole nine yards if necessary.
How, pray tell, do economic benefits EVER outweigh environmental harm? Jeebus.
Protect Fish Lake
heart of Tsilhqot’in Territory, 125 km west of Williams Lake BC. If the project were to
proceed it would:
· drain the beautiful, culturally important and rainbow trout-filled (85,000
genetically unique rainbow) Teztan Biny (Fish Lake);
· destroy another rich trout fishing lake, Nabas (Little Fish Lake)
· eliminate cultural sites dating to at least 5,500 years ago;
· create an open pit 800 m deep and 1600 m in diameter;
· create 858 million tonnes of tailings and 358 million tons of waste rock;
· deposit waste in the Upper Fish Creek watershed eliminating the creek, Little Fish
Lake and terrestrial habitat for grizzly bears;
· create a reservoir adjacent to the tailings impoundment in order to compensate for
the permanent loss of fish habitat;
· put a permanent environmental liability in the headwaters of the Fish Creek, a
tributary of the Taseko and Fraser Rivers;
· create up to 33 years of employment and economic development for the region,
but...
· insert a crew of up to 800 miners into a small First Nations Community and put at
risk their precarious recovery from years of government and residential school
abuse
· jeapordize or destroy a wilderness lodge industry that requires untouched
wilderness to function and thrive
key part of that "the 20 year life of the mine"
so we permanently destroy the lake and the surrounding territory and force upon future generations whatever problems come from that for 20 lousy years of profits??? This is a perfect example of the capitalist mindset.
it's not just the Tsilhqot'in that should be angry.
I was signer 2263
ALERT: Prime Minister Stephen Harper Harper.S@parl.gc.ca is expected to make final decision on Taseko’s Prosperity mine at Fish Lake by September 10, 2010. Please write to save Fish Lake and to support Survival of Tsilhqot’in First Nations in central British Columbia, Canada.
The proposed Taseko gold-copper mine threatens the survival of the Tsilhqot’in people. Tsilhqot’in Fist Nations will lose their Homeland if Fish Lake is destroyed for the proposed mine.
VIDEO: “A Tsilhqot’in Treasure of Mountains, Rivers and Lakes.”http://vimeo.com/13704214
VIDEO: – “Blue Gold” http://www.raventrust.com/projects/fishlaketeztanbiny/video-bluegold.html
VIDEO: “Rally for Fish Lake” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfkOzxcr_6w
http://floodiceorfire.wordpress.com/taseko-mines-and-pm-stephen-harper-embroiled-in-impending-genocide-of-the-tsilhqotin-first-nations-through-proposed-destruction-of-fish-lake/
ivujica, thank for posting more information and the contacts.
Today's online poll at the Globe and Mail website:
"Should the federal government approve the Prosperity Mine?".
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/natives-talk-strategy-to-take-on-prosperity-mine-project/article1764525/
Prentice kills Taseko's Prosperity mine
By LAURA PAYTON, Parliamentary Bureau
Last Updated: November 2, 2010 7:04pm
OTTAWA – The federal government has killed a plan for an open-pit mine in Fish Lake, B.C.
“The project as it was proposed would result in the destruction of Fish Lake and the destruction as well of a complex and highly productive ecosystem that included ... dozens of connecting streams, wetlands and aquatic life,” Environment Minister Jim Prentice said Tuesday.
“There was a significant risk that this habitat could not be successfully reproduced through manmade substitutes.”
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/11/02/15925231.html
This mining project will be going ahead. It will all be worked out over the next few months.
NR what makes you say that?
While I'm happy that Fish Lake will survive for future generations, I'd like to point out that it used to be protected by the Fisheries Act until 2002, when the act's regulations were amended to allow lakes to be reclassified as "tailings impoundment areas" for mining interests. This legislative loophole still exists, endangering at least 9 other freshwater bodies across Canada today.
The struggles around Fish Lake are a symptom of a larger, systemic problem: environmental legislation that has been weakened so that lakes across this country can become toxic garbage dumps. I hope that people will notice that the larger threat still exists, and needs to be dealt with.
Schedule 2 of the Fisheries Act's regulations needs to be revoked. This would show that the government understands the long term value of “natural capital” such as renewable, precious, clean fresh water. I hope people will send a quick email to Minister Jim Prentice (prentice.j@parl.gc.ca), thanking him for protecting Fish Lake and asking him to protect future lakes by revoking Schedule 2.
PS. The endangered lakes are listed online at http://www.canadians.org/water/issues/TIAs/lakeslist.html.
So the Liberals did that little environmental destruction goodie, eh!
But thank you for the heads up, and will do.
Taseko's Revised Prosperity Mine Project Will Save Fish Lake but Destroy Little Fish Lake
Big profits go to the mining company that will never do. If the First Nations are going to let the Mining company destroy the lake the First Nations should be doing the mining themselves. And getting all the profits if that is the route they choice to take. Althought I am certain that is not the case. And if First Nations need jobs there are plenty coming up as Japan, one of BC's biggest traders is in dire need of lumber. So all those small saw mills that where closed can sharpen their saws and anticipate plenty of work. Also banning whole logs being shipped to China, there is no need the market is going to be flush.
Marilyn Baptiste says she'll carry on in the Tsilhqot'in warrior tradition
Taseko alleges Baptiste, and other leaders of the Xeni Gwet'in, one of the six bands that make up the Tsilhqot'in First Nation, is interfering with their lawful right to conduct business. In a separate action also being heard, the Xeni Gwet'in are seeking an injunction to stop the miners, alleging that the provincial permits they have are invalid as the Xeni Gwet'in were not consulted and accommodated, which is a legal requirement.
Both sides agree on one thing: The court case that began Monday is pivotal. To the mining company, the future of rights over resource extraction in Canada hangs in the balance. To first nations, it's a watershed that will define the relations between indigenous people and the provincial and federal governments.
Tsilhqot'in First Nation won their injunction against Taseko operations on their land today. The Court provided that the injunction will stay in place until a judicial review of the permitting process by the province is completed.
The Court also found that the harm to TFN would be greater than that done to Taseko if the latter was granted an injunction. Good news.