Nak'azdli says mine no sure thing
By Rick Playfair - Caledonia Courier
Published: September 17, 2008 10:00 AM
Updated: September 17, 2008 9:08 PM
The Environmental Assessment Application filed by Terrane Metals for the Mt. Milligan / Shus Nadloh mine project may have been accepted for review by the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office, but it has not been accepted by Nak’azdli.
The Environmental Assessment is a 9,000 page document that outlines the environmental procedures and issues with the Mt. Milligan mine.
The EA is now under public review. There will be meetings in our community in the near future.
Nak’azdli Band Chief Fred Sam said that although he is not against the mine, there are still a lot of things that concerns Nak’azdli.
Nak’azdli has called the review flawed.
“They (the government) don’t recognize our rights and title,” Sam said. “Nak’azdli has to be involved in the decision process somehow. It is in the government’s hands, (in the hands of) Assistant Deputy Minister Greg Reimer.”
Sam said that there has to be some legislative changes that would give bands like Nak’azdli more say in the process.
“It doesn’t happen quickly,” Sam said. “We want a letter of understanding.”
Sam doesn’t blame Terrane in this matter, as it is in the government’s hands, and he has said that he has spoken to President and CEO of Terrane Metals, Robert Pierce. But Sam also said that the mining company should be careful in stating that the mine is a sure thing. He feels it might not be fair to the contractors and people hoping the mine goes for Terrane to state that it is going ahead.
“With Terrane, they shouldn’t think that they should get the certificate OKed,” Sam said. “The way they are wording things, they are saying it is a sure thing but it hasn’t gone through the EA process. At the end of the day the government might say they need more studies here and there, so there might be a delay that way.
“We are still working with Rob Pease, but it is more the EA process,” Chief Sam said. “Terrane shouldn’t lead people on because it might be delayed.”
Now that the public review has started, Sam indicated that they need help to go through the document themselves.
“It is a 9,000 word document, and we don’t have the funding to have experts look at it, but the Environmental Assessment Office and the government does,” Sam said.
Is there anything that can be done to help Nak’azdli find a resolution with the flawed document?
“Someone, needs to provide us with the funding to go through the documents,” he said. “It is a scientific and so on. Maybe we can work with them (Terrane), maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel, but maybe not.”
MLA for Prince George-Omineca John Rustad said that the EA process is designed to address the concerns of First Nations.
“The environmental process is all encompassing,” Rustad said. “It tries its best to engage with First Nations, I know that Terrane has spent several years with Nak’azdi and McLeod Lake to made sure that all the information is available.
“Nak’azdli have the ability to address their concerns. Any adjustments and accommodation will be looked at and can be met. What they are asking for is a separate process that they do internally as a review from what I understand.”
Rustad said that Terrane has done it’s best to accommodate First Nation concerns.
“Rob Pease has been really trying hard to work with First Nations to come to agreements and try to make sure that all the concerns that have been raised can be met,” Rustad said. “He has done as good if not better (then other mining companies) to make the mine go. It is taking a long time, it is taking a lot longer then I would like to have seen but they are working hard to make it go.
“They have hired individuals from the band, and have tried to work in conjunction with the band as much as possible. They (Nak’azdli) had input into the process and through the EA review there will be more opportunity. My hope is that Nak’azdi will engage in that process and we can work out the issues that are outstanding for the Nak’azdli band.”
Rustad wants to work with Nak’azdli to address their concerns, but he also hopes that Nak’azdli can see the benefits the mine can bring.
“I understand Nak’azdli’s concerns, there has been some issues with mining in the past. I have reviewed this file, I am not an environmentalist, but from my perspective this is one of the cleanest, best projects to come forward. My hope is that the Nak’azdli people will see that it will have benefits for their community and Fort St. James.”
Still, Nak’azdli wants to have their environmental concerns addressed, and are not prepared to sell out their people for a quick buck.
“Our community is not prepared to see a focus on profits to rush results in a project that in a few years leaves us to deal with the lasting damage of this proposed mine to our territory,” Chief Sam said.
