October 13, 2010
DAKELH TRADITIONAL TERRITORY/PRINCE GEORGE, BC – The First Nations Energy and Mining Council (FNEMC) and the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC) have partnered to organize a national meeting of First Nations leaders from across the Canada to discuss their role in managing and protecting the Boreal region. A 2.5 day meeting has been set for October 19th to 21th, 2010 in Prince George, BC.
This meeting is a result of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement that was released in June 2010 by environmental groups and forest companies. The CBFA is ambitious in its intent to protect habitat for endangered caribou, and establishes a ‘truce’ by environmental groups’ international boycott of forest company’s practices in the Boral region. The agreement must have the support of First Nations. Like many First Nations, the CSTC, were unaware of the negotiations between the environmental groups and forest companies to establish policy measures with respect to the management of our homelands. The first step CSTC took was to invite two of the key players that established the CBFA to meet with the Boreal leadership in BC to account for their actions. An explanation and apologies were issued by internationally renowned scientist Dr. David Suzuki, of the David Suzuki Foundation and Larry Innes, Executive Director of the Canadian Boreal Initiative.
“Following this meeting with Dr. Suzuki and Mr. Innes, we felt the need to gather with other First Nations leaders from the Canadian Boreal region to discuss the impact of this agreement on their homelands. The feedback we got was unanimous of the First Nations condemnation of the CBFA, but at the same time there was a reaffirmation by the leaders across this country to do what it takes to protect our rights and title, and that our role as managers of the Boreal region is recognized,” stated Vice Tribal Chief Terry Teegee, RPF. As one of several aboriginal professional foresters in BC, Teegee also noted, “There is a lot more to this agreement that First Nations leaders need to be aware of, including our rights to carbon credits and the cumulative impacts from other industries besides forestry. Mining, pipelines and agriculture are all threatening the health of Boreal ecosystems. We’ve invited First Nations from across Canada that have lived in the Boreal since time immemorial to put our differences aside to develop a strategy on moving forward together with one voice.”
Chief Roland Wilson, of the West Moberly First Nation said, “First Nation leaders across the country are extremely upset and concerned about how the agreement was created without First Nations participation. We’ve talked with many First Nations leaders from across Canada, and there was consensus that meeting in Prince George was a good idea.” He also said, “This agreement caught many of us off guard, including the government. First Nations have had mixed results in working with environmental groups and forest industry, but this agreement sure got people concerned.”
Speakers have been invited from across the country to discuss various aspects of how the Boreal region is being impacted by industrial development and how these impact First Nations communities. Key areas of discussion during the 3 day meeting will include: forestry, oil/gas, water, land use planning and mining. Invitations have been sent to all the Regional Chiefs, Chiefs and Councils from across the Boreal region.
“We have an opportunity to work together to ensure that the process used to develop such agreements is never used again. First Nations have the inherent right to self-governance and shared decision making, these rights are also protected under the Canadian Constitution and in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. We are proposing that we come together to decide how we can collectively re-establish the authority of our nations for the care and management of the Boreal region and put industry, government and the environmental community on notice that we will not accept unilateral agreements by anyone in the Boreal region,” declared Tribal Chief David Luggi.
A discussion paper is being drafted and will be distributed to the invited Chiefs and First Nations in the Boreal region prior to the meeting.
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For more information contact:
Vice Tribal Chief Terry Teegee. tteegee@cstc.bc.ca. Cell: (250) 640-3256
Tribal Chief David Luggi. dluggi@cstc.bc.ca. Cell: (250) 640-6622
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