[IPSM] B.C. natives set up barricades once again

[Macdonald Stainsby]

Globe and Mail
B.C. natives set up barricades once again
April 6, 2005

By ROBERT MATAS

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 Updated at 7:33 PM EDTKey

VANCOUVER -- For the first time in years some of the province's natives are 
turning to confrontation, after coming up with little to show for their 
efforts in negotiations and at court.

Protests by native groups in recent days have stopped logging in the Queen 
Charlotte Islands and at Kingcome Inlet along the Central Coast and led to a 
moratorium on new mining projects near Telegraph Creek in northwestern B.C.

Also, in a show of unity spurred by frustration not seen among natives in 
B.C. for more than 35 years, leaders from 171 native groups came together 
recently to develop new strategies to force significant changes in 
government policies.

B.C. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Geoff Plant rejected the suggestion that 
the protests and expressions of anger by some aboriginal leaders reflect a 
growing mood of unrest.

Although not everyone is happy, 87 native groups "agreed to do business with 
us," and have signed economic agreements with the government, Mr. Plant 
said. "The economy is in good shape and I think we have found some ways to 
share the fruits of that success with the first nations."

However, Stewart Phillips, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian 
Chiefs, did not mince his words.

"Collectively, the first nations of B.C. have reached the end to our 
patience and have made a commitment to bring sufficient pressure on the 
federal and provincial governments to have them honour [court] decisions," 
he said, referring to judgments requiring natives to be consulted in a 
meaningful way about resource development on lands they claim as their 
traditional territory.

The government should anticipate more conflicts if development goes ahead 
without recognition of natives' title to land and resources, Mr. Phillip said.

"There is rising frustration and tension across the province," he said. 
Twelve years of negotiations has failed to yield any treaties to protect the 
aboriginal lands and resources, Mr. Phillip said.

Mr. Phillips said the courts currently have 34 cases at various stages 
related to the alleged infringement of aboriginal interests.

"Unless there is some dramatic change in government policy, we are going to 
see further conflict," he said. "We've had 12 years of government delay, 
denial and avoidance."

The Haida Nation, supported by many non-native residents, erected blockades 
two weeks ago that effectively closed down logging in the interior of Graham 
Island as well as the offices of the provincial Forestry Ministry.

"History will show that we tried every avenue we could to resolve these 
things [without civil disobedience]," Haida Nation president Guujaw said. 
The Haida have tried negotiations with the government, the treaty process 
and the court, he said.

"In every instance, the results have been ignored by the government," he 
said. "There was a court order that they had an obligation to deal fairly 
and honourable with us and as far as we are concerned, that is not going on."

Weyerhaeuser Canada, which has rights to log the Queen Charlotte forests, is 
in the midst of selling its assets to Brascan Ltd. Both companies have 
remained on the sidelines, not taking any action against the protesters.

The central issue in the dispute is the treatment of the land and "the way 
the revenues are flying off the islands," Mr. Guujaw said. Weyerhaeuser has 
logged in bird-nesting habitat, high-graded the best cedar trees and used 
mechanical harvesters in contravention of an agreement, he said. "They have 
been logging too fast and too sloppy," he said.

Dale Lore, the mayor of the town of Port Clements, said many non-natives 
support the Haida blockade.

The town lost 20 per cent of its population as a result of changes in the 
forest industry over the past four years, he said. Almost every job that was 
not in the woods was transferred off the island to southern B.C. Even a 
woman born in the Queen Charlotte Islands had to move to Nainamo to keep her 
job doing payroll with Weyerhaeuser, he said.

The island lost control over the pace of logging under changes to provincial 
forest regulations two years ago, Mr. Lore said. "The companies are taking 
full advantage of it," he said. "We're creaming, we're wasting wood; we're 
logging in a really wasteful manner . . . between that and Weyerhaeuser, it 
started to destroy our land."

The Tsawataineuk First Nation erected a blockade six weeks ago that 
effectively stopped logging by International Forest Products Ltd. in 
Kingcome Inlet in the Central Coast region. The forest company pulled its 
equipment out of the area but then wanted to continue operations in a nearby 
forest. But the band is trying to stop the company.

"We're just tired of all the logging on our land" band manager Aaron Joseph 
said in an interview. "The village floods more frequently now since they 
logged around here. The water is silty. The fish are not returning."

The Tsawataineuk First Nation is also concerned that logging may destroy 
artifacts that back their claim to the land. "Until they show more respect, 
we do not want any logging in our area," he said.

In Telegraph Creek, Tahltan elders have occupied the band office for two 
months in protest against the band leadership.

The elders have said no new mines will be allowed until the leadership issue 
is resolved.
-- 

Macdonald Stainsby
http://independentmedia.ca/survivingcanada
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope
	--Bertholt Brecht.