Editor:
Sechanalyagh.
We have to take issue with Mr. Wilson’s criticism of our ancient drum songs, which come from this land, (unlike the bag pipes to which he refers).
Our drum songs have been passed down for generations, just as responsibility for Teztan Biny has been passed down from one generation to the next.
When we offer these songs at the panel hearings, we are calling on our ancestors who used the land, and also calling on our future generations.
We find it particularly concerning that Mr. Wilson appears to present an informed opinion about the facts of the New Prosperity proposal, but meanwhile is “not attending the review process” to learn about the science.
This is disappointing because had he attended the technical hearings, he would have heard from several government agencies, among others, about serious environmental impacts and risks that this mine poses for the waters and life within Little Fish Lake (totally destroyed), wetlands around Nabas, Fish Lake, Big Onion Lake, Little Onion Lake, Wasp Lake, and even the Taseko River.
It is sad that mine supporters like Mr. Wilson choose to dig their heads into the sand and willfully ignore the science.
For just a few examples, this proposal was described by federal government presenters as an unproven ‘experiment’ that would turn an entire wilderness lake into an aquarium for the first time in human history, to require pumps to operate forever, to require a water treatment plant forever, and to impact the rights of the Tsilhqot’in to use this area well into the future, if not forever.
In fact, BC’s Ministry of Energy and Mines has filed a submission that concludes, “MEM believes that the project presents significant environmental risk”.
This review Panel is mandated to assess the environmental impacts of the mine, and after hearing this past week from scientific experts about serious impacts and risks, and the entirely unproven proposal that is before us, we ask Mr. Wilson and others to ‘resolve the facts’ before they speak.
Chief Roger William
Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government
