New Prosperity mine: More at stake than a $1-billion mine – Vancouver Sun

Decision on B.C.’s New Prosperity project will set national tone for Ottawa-aboriginal relations, First Nations warn

FEBRUARY 17, 2014

OTTAWA — Lobbying has intensified as the Harper government prepares to make a high-stakes decision on a controversial $1-billion B.C. mining project.

A delegation of West Coast First Nations leaders, accompanied by Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo, spent the past week on Parliament Hill, trying to get across their message that approving the New Prosperity mine near Williams Lake would deal a huge setback to Ottawa’s relationship with aboriginal Canadians.

Ottawa must make a decision the end of the month.

But the native leaders left for home Friday after meeting only B-list political players, people of similar rank to those who met pro-mine members of the Williams Lake community a week earlier.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Prosperity+mine+More+stake+than+billion+mine/9515074/story.html