[news] [Fwd: [Redwire] Sun Peaks update]

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-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Tania Willard <tania at redwiremag.com>
To: redwire at lists.resist.ca, aboriginaljournalists at yahoo.com
Subject: [Redwire] Sun Peaks update
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 10:42:10 -0800



                 Secwepemculecw Traditional Government
                             P. O. Box 837
                Chase, British Columbia, Canada V0E 1M0

                             PRESS RELEASE



SUPPORT NEEDED TO REBUILD AREAS DESTROYED BY THE FOREST FIRES – NOT SUN
PEAKS



(October 28th, 2003) Members of the Secwepemculecw Traditional
Government, comprised of elders, land users and youth of the Lakes
Secwepemc people attended a Chase Village Council meeting today to voice
their opposition of the construction of the road from Chase to Sun
Peaks.

The Neskonlith Reserve has been ravaged by the MacGillivray Lake Fire
which burned around Neskonlith Lakes and has destroyed much of the
forests in the traditional Neskonlith Douglas Reserve where most of the
traditional use areas and hunting grounds of the Lakes Secwepemcare
located. Elders had predicted the forest fires this summer and link them
to the lack of snow last winter and the additional water taken from the
watershed for artificial snow making at areas like Sun Peaks. Elder
Sarah Denault stated: 

“Never before have there been water shortages in the winter, but with
Sun Peaks pumping out all the water and adding chemicals for artificial
snow making the whole water-cycle has been upset and this summer our
land got burnt as a result.”

Elders, land users and families who were evacuated most of August,
assessed the damage and found much of their traditional use are as
severely impacted, also on Neskonlith Indian Reserve some houses were
lost, ironically around a creek that was lacking water. The irrigation
system servicing the community was destroyed. The Department of Indian
and Northern Affairs has offered no or minimal support for restoration
and reconstruction, for example offering 5% of the cost of rebuilding
fences. The province is not ready to support indigenous communities at
all. Instead they have already channeled monies to Sun Peaks, which was
untouched by the fire, so they could attract additional visitors with
cheap vacation packages.  Bill Chu, Canadians for Reconciliation stated:
“It is wrong that the media pays no attention to how Aboriginal
communities have been hit by the fires and the floods and that there is
no money going the Aboriginal way. Premier Campbell is just using these
catastrophes to do fundraising for his government and corporations.”

The provincial and regional governments’ drive to channel money to
foreign corporations such as Sun Peaks, through disaster relief is
further evidenced by TNRD’s recent proposal for additional 40 million in
relief for the tourism industry and for the road from Chase to Sun
Peaks. Members of the Secwepemculecw Traditional Government voiced their
opposition to the project known to the Chase Village Council at a
meeting today. They are ready to take action from the local to the
international level.

For more information please contact:
Janice Billy: (250) – 318 4290


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