This letter was originally published at this link.
Date: Sunday May 1, 2011
From: Roger [Tmicwus] Adolph
To: Ucwalmicwúl
On Wednesday April 19, 2011, the Ucwalmicwúl submitted an appeal letter to the BC Hydro Agreement Parties, declaring the BC Hydro Agreement null and void.
The appeal letter outlined four major areas of breech both in the agreement and in the voting procedure; 1) false representation of St’at’imc members by the Party called the ‘St’at’imc Authority’, 2) flawed voting ratification process, 3) lack of informed consent and 4) ethical misconduct.
It has been twelve days since the appeal letter was submitted. It is also ten days to the celebration of the 100-Year Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe that will be held on May 10, 2011 at Tsal’alh (Seton Lake). It is the intent of the St’at’imc Chiefs, BC Hydro and the Province of BC to sign the hydro agreement on this day.
To date, the Ratification Committee or Chair has not responded to the appeal letter. Also, the Ratification Agreement is still unavailable to members though several requests for it have been made during the past week. It is uncertain as to when a meeting will take place with the St’at’imc Chiefs Council.
The Ratification Committee, according to their policy, is required to provide a response to this appeal. The Province of BC and BC Hydro are also expected to respond.
Until such responses are received and reviewed by the People, it is important that the agreement is not signed.
It is important to continue to uphold the spirit and intent of the Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe, signed May 10, 1911. The BC Hydro Agreement gives BC Hydro and the Province of BC certainty over water and land in our territory, especially concerning the new transmission line. The BC Hydro Agreement does not honor the inherent rights spoken of by the 17 Chiefs of the 1911 Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe.
We must get back to how we treat and communicate with each other when such an important agreement is before us. Families should not be divided or afraid; they should feel strong, connected to the land, the language and the People. This is the Ucwalmicwúl way.
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