[IPSM] Carrier/Sekani Tribal Council sends letter to Paul Martin

[Devin Butler Burke]

March 24, 2005

The Right Honourable Paul Martin

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2

VIA POST AND FACSIMILE: 613-941-6900

Dear Prime Minister Martin,
Re: Honour of the Crown

The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC), which consists of eight
member-Nations, is located in central British Columbia and our traditional
territory encompasses 7.6 million hectares.  Our membership, both status
and non-status exceeds 12 000 members and our communities are currently
involved in treaty negotiations with the  British Columbia Treaty
Commission process.

I observe from a distance your Transformative Change Agenda and the
Roundtable discussions that you chair with Aboriginal Peoples and hope
that positive results are around the corner.  This may be a positive sign.

In November 2004 our member Nations were optimistic that sweeping change
would occur as a result of the Supreme Court of Canada decisions in Haida
and Taku.  No longer would Aboriginal Rights and Title need to be proven
before governments had a duty to consult and accommodate our interests. 
The Crown would now listen to our concerns and negotiate with us before
resource development occurred on our lands.  Four months have passed and
nothing has changed.

Yesterday the Attorney General/Minister of Treaty Negotiations from
British Columbia was quoted as saying, "When I hear Guujaaw I think he's
on a different planet".  Guujaaw is the respected leader of the Council of
the Haida Nation who brought interests of all Aboriginal People's forward
to the highest court in this country.  Where is the honor of the Crown in
statements such as the Attorney General of British Columbia?  The Haida,
Carrier, Sekani, and all First Nations are under siege from government
bureaucrats and some ministers that fail to uphold the legal principles
directed by of the Supreme Court of Canada.

 I ask you to personally step in and assist our process in BC.   These
issues are complex and will require someone of your stature to truly
uphold the Honor of the Crown in its dealings with First Nations.

We are asking for you to intervene at this point because the province of
British Columbia, while being vested with the authority of the Crown to
deal with lands and resources under the Canadian Constitution, continues
to divest itself of any responsibility to meaningfully involve our Nations
in resource management decision  making.  Through a systematic legislative
overhaul, the provincial government is granting industry increasing and
unprecedented power and resources to control our land, while denying that
First Nations consent is fundamental to good decision making.

Here is a list of some of the immediate issues that are of concern to the
Carrier and Sekani People where there has been inadequate consultation and
accommodation:

1.  Kemess North Mine Proposal by Northgate Minerals Inc.  Northgate
proposes to open a new pit, five kilometers from their existing mine and
to dump their waste rock and tailings into a six-kilometer long
fish-bearing lake.  This water body, known as Amazay Lake, has been used
by the Sustu'dene People (including the Takla Lake First Nation) for
countless generations and First Nations refuse to allow the waste to be
deposited. Northgate states the lake is the only economically viable
option and concedes that dumping the waste rock and tailings into the will
kill this aquatic ecosystem.

 2.  14 million cubic meter Non Replaceable Forest License.  The Ministry of
Forests in Vanderhoof awarded this license to Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. on
Friday, March 11th.  The company has committed to build a $200 million
dollar oriented strand board plant and purchase Crown land for this
facility.  Four First Nations (Nadleh Whut'en, Nak'azdli, Saik'uz, and
Stellat'en) within the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council territory have
objected to this project unless consultation and accommodation occurs.

3.  Canfor acquisition of Slocan Forest Products Ltd. in late 2003 and the
subsequent decision of the Federal Competition Bureau to sell the Canfor
mill and license in Ft. St. James.  The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council has
sent numerous letters to the Province and the Federal Competition Bureau
to consult and accommodate their interests.   All Carrier Sekani Tribal
Council nations are impacted by this sale.

 4.  West Fraser acquisition of Weldwood Inc. in 2004 and the subsequent
decision of the Federal Competition Bureau to sell the Weldwood mill in
Burns Lake.  The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council have sent numerous letters
to the Province and the Federal Competition Bureau to consult and
accommodate their member-Nations' interests.   Wet'suwet'en First Nation,
Burns Lake Band, Nadleh Whut'en First Nation and Stellat'en First Nation
are all impacted by this sale.

 5.  Teck Cominco tailings dam failure.  December 2004 break in a tailings
dam that contained high concentrations of mercury from a previously closed
mine.  Teck Cominco Inc. has accepted full responsibility for this spill
but has yet to include the communities of Tl'azt'n and Nak'zdli in the
decision making process.  First  Nations seek to address the long-term
impacts on human health, water quality, and fish before any further mining
occurs within the territory.

 6.  Stewart-Omenica Resource Road (SORR).  There are only two sections
(approximately 40 km in total) to link existing logging roads from the
town of Stewart (on the north coast) to the Kemess North mine.  The Takla
Lake First Nation along with other First Nations objects to this road and
there has been no consultation and accommodation of their concerns.  This
road will open the area known as the Toodoogone to resource extraction and
pressures to hunting and fishing.

 7.  Mount Milligan Mine gold and copper mine.  Placer Dome proposes to
develop a gold and copper mine in the Nak'zdli territory.  Nak'zdli seeks
consultation and accommodation of their Aboriginal rights and title.

In the past First Nations met Europeans with respect and provided for you
in times of need.  I look forward to your response and cooperation.


 Respectfully,

Carrier Sekani Tribal Council

Harry Pierre

Tribal Chief


Cc:    Chief Phil Fontaine, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations,
Grand Chief Edward John, Doug Kelly, Dave Porter, Task Group Members,
First Nations Summit
Chief Stewart Phillip, Union of BC Chiefs, First Nations in BC


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