Should Leadnow support this petition to save Fish Lake?
- Details
- Published on Friday, 18 August 2017 14:00
- Written by editor
Our friends at the Tsilhqot'in National Government recently created a petition on our public petition website, entitled “Save Fish Lake."
The petition is addressed to the Premier of British Columbia, and reads:
Taseko Mines Ltd.’s biggest supporter – the BC government – is trying to breathe life into the corporation’s totally discredited open-pit mine proposal near the Tsilhqot’in’s sacred Teztan Biny (Fish Lake). BC has issued work permits that allow the company to engage in extensive, destructive exploratory work in the area. This includes 76 km of road and trail, 122 drill holes, 367 test pits (dug by an excavator), and 20 km of seismic lines in an area of profound cultural importance.The provincial government approved this destruction despite the Prosperity/New Prosperity mine proposals being scathingly rejected twice by the federal Harper-era conservatives. Both times two different independent expert panels identified grave and immitigable concerns.
Enough is enough. It's time to tell our new provincial government that consent matters to Canadians.
Please sign the petition and share it with your community. Support the Tsilhqot'in in our fight to protect our home, lands and sacred waters.
The integrity of the Canadian government's commitment to reconciliation, as well its environmental assessment process, is at stake.
Here's what the Tsilhqot'in National Government wrote about it:
In a shocking move, on the eve of the transfer of power, while four of six Tsilhqot’in communities are evacuated due to raging wildfires, and while the communities have engaged in brave efforts to fight for their very survival, the Clark led British Columbian government has granted controversial drilling permits over the objections of the Tsilhqot’in. The Nation is outraged that the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines has issued permits to allow Taseko Mines Ltd. to conduct extensive pre-construction exploration for the New Prosperity mine proposal.
This mine cannot be built.
It was rejected twice by the Harper-era Federal Government in 2010 (Prosperity) and 2014 (New Prosperity) due to strong opposition by the Tsilhqot’in Nation and unacceptable environmental and cultural impacts.
Chief Russell Myers Ross:
“I am speechless at the timing of this insulting decision. It defies compassion that while our people are fighting for our homes and lives, BC issues permits that will destroy more of our land beyond repair. As a Nation, we have wasted enough time and energy in conflict. The project has been rejected twice federally. It is time to move on. As Tsilhqot'in, we are moving forward by establishing the Dasiqox Tribal Park based on our governance and values. The Provincial decision to permit further drilling is insulting. It demonstrates a serious attack on meaningful reconciliation. It is our responsibility to protect Nabas for
our future generations.”
Chief Joe Alphonse:
"This is a typical move by the Liberal government. They are a dead political party trying to mount a dead horse and hoping to ride it to a come back."
To learn more watch this video: https://youtu.be/gwjCeWF4rfM
Can you click to let us know what you think?
I don't think Leadnow should support this petition.
We'll decide whether to send this petition out to additional Leadnow members in your area based on your feedback. Here's the link to the petition one more time: https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/save-fish-lake-1?source=ln?bucket=ln
Thanks for all you do.
Chloe, on behalf of the entire Leadnow.ca team
p.s. In case you haven't heard about it, Leadnow's petition site allows anyone to start an online petition and share it with friends and neighbors to build support for their cause. Click here if you want to check it out, or start your own petition.
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