NEWS RELEASE about SolidarityDirect Action posted on November 17, 2010 by dawn
Nak’azdli blockade enters second day, Mt Milligan mining project proponent threatens legal action
Tuesday November 16 2010
As a First Nation Blockade of work on the Mount Milligan open pit mine site continues for a second day the mine site owner threatened legal action against the blockaders.
The blockade was set up Monday afternoon by Howard Sam and Wayne Sam, holders of adjoining keyohs, traditional First Nation landholdings. The proposed mine would be a deep, wide pit mine straddling the boundary between the two keyohs.
Wes Carson, a Terrane Metals representative, visited the blockade tuesday afternoon and told the blockaders his company plans to minimize the environmental impacts of the proposed mine.
The keyoh holders said this is the first time the company has ever talked to them.
Carson said Terrane, a subsidiary of the American mining company Thompson Creek Metals, wants to do things right. He said they don’t want to repeat the mistakes of all the other mines in BC. They said that they didn’t know who to talk to but now they know.
The Keyoh Holders told Carson they could organize a meeting with all the family members from the affected keyohs. Carson at first agreed and said they would do anything to help.
He said that he would return the next day to talk to the keyoh holders again but then asked the Sams to remove the blockade. When the keyoh holders would not remove the blockade Carson said Terrane is starting legal proceedings.
Nak’azdli Indian Band Councillors Rosemarie Sam and Charlie Sam joined two dozen other people on the blockade to support the keyoh holders.
“The Royal Proclamation of 1763 signed by King George the Third said the Indians must be protected and the resources must be protected,” said Charlie Sam. “We never sold our land. Show us the deed and the bill of sale and we will remove our blockade.”
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Brave and honorable actions! In solidarity from Toronto.
Look into laws of precedent:
In "The Council of Haida Nation et al. v Minister of Forests et al, 2002".
Justice Lambert stated that: [75]The nature of aboriginal title and aboriginal rights, whether site-specific or non-site-specific, was explained in Delgamuukw.
Aboriginal title allows the aboriginal people who collectively hold the title to exclude everyone else. If the aboriginal people decide to exclude others then anyone who enters, exploits, or damages the land subject to aboriginal title will be violating that title and will be liable to pay compensatory damages, and possibly aggravated and punitive damages, depending on how purposeful was the violation.
FN becoming professional protestors?
No wonder TC share started dropping alot the last few days. These hippies protestors could have gone for real environment big polluters like BP and Shell and the like of Potash & Monsanto that destroy the earth with their chemicals. But by going after small mining companies, they loose their arguments and make it apparent that they after money not the environment.
What gives you the impression
What gives you the impression that this is a small project and a small company? I think if you do a little research you'll fast realize you're wrong on both counts.
This is my Keyoh too as well
This is my Keyoh too as well as my 6 and 3 year old daughters. They love going up to our traditional territory and I don't think their after the money neither am I. I would just like our land to be there for them and their children. You can think what you want to think but we know our land and know what will and will not affect it. I've been going to our cabin since I was a baby and would like it to stay the same.
Funny...they have been
Funny...they have been prospecting and drilling this parcel for 75 years. Seems odd that as soon as that land was worth a billion dollars the natives come out of the woodwork with thier hands out...all you want is money, admit it, at least then you would be being honest.
what an ignorant thing to
what an ignorant thing to say.
they had no right to "prospect" that land parcel
i shouldn't even waste my time answering you. but i will anyways, because i'm so offended by your ignorant words.
money is probably NOT the key issue. but knowing Canada's history and contemporary instances of completely ignoring Native territory, some might feel that the only way they will be compensated in this sad situation is monetarily.
This is how it seems to go: the government will tell a company that they can develop some land. The Natives who reside their will say, hey, this is our land, we won't give it up. The government goes hey Natives, stop standing in the way of "progress". They go back and forth while the companies find ways to start developing the land illegaly (illegal by the Royal Proclamation, our constitution). Once the land has been developed on and profitted from, what happens? Canada says oops here's some money for that area we stole from you.
So this group of families is taking action and standing up before anything is built. And guess what? This has been their territory since LONG BEFORE THIS PARCEL WAS "PROSPECTED". BY OUR LAWS, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR OUR COUNTRY, OR AGENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, OR PRIVATE CITIZENS TO SCOPE OUT NATIVE LAND WITH THE INTENTION OF DEVELOPING IT.
How can we help?
Thank you for psoting this! My heart goes out to the families fighting for their land. If there is any way to help, if they need food sent over, monetary support (if this goes to court), please let us know!
Solidarity from London, Ontario!
I support it all the way!!! MOTHER EARTH is worth it
Mother Earth is worth it!!!! its not about the MONEY :P
I am up there with the protesters everyday!!!!!!
its not about the money, its about mother earth!!!! we are here to protect her... we are standing up for her, when no one else can.
LOOK @ THE WORLD TODAY WHAT DO YOU SEE???? - you see oil spills, war for nothing, poisin in the water, HUNGRY CHILDREN, people dieing, CHAOS!!!!
WE ARE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH,WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER GLORY!!!! :) hope you all can see what we are doing, is the right desision!!!!!
~Namaste~ we are all ONE.
We are not after the money
I've been going to our territory since I was a baby and learnt how to trap and hunt. Now my two daughters go there and they are only 6 and 3, their grandpa is now teaching them everything that he had taught me. This IS about the land and environment not the MONEY like some of you are saying, we do a lot on this land and eat the fish and wildlife from our land, how are we going to do this when it's contaminated? I just wanted to put my point of view in here for people to see. Thank you for caring enough to share! That's all I have to say.
Nakazdli Blockade
I give 100% support to the Nakaxdli because they are part of my dene family. The mining company will be there for 15 years and they're gone with the money. All the ignorant people should go back where their ancestors come from.
No, this isn't about money.
No, this isn't about money. It's about the Keyohs and the Nak'azdli's rights
which the Provincial and Federal Government openly dismissed.
thank you
Thank you for acting as stewards of the earth and helping the land that has been stolen from you. My support and blessings are with you and your families. It is true that employment and industry are important for the economy, but without nature we have no economy. When will they figure that out?Good luck out there!