Tŝilhqot’in Nation Relieved by Successful Injunction Prohibiting Taseko Drilling Program

Press Release

Williams Lake, BC: The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is relieved by the BC Court of Appeal’s decision to grant an interlocutory injunction against a drilling permit within the sacred sites of Te2tan Biny (Fish Lake) and surrounding areas.

On August 23, 2018, the B.C. Supreme Court upheld a permit authorizing Taseko Mines Limited (TML) to undertake an extensive drilling program at Te2tan Biny and the surrounding area. The TAhqot’in Nation has since appealed this ruling and yesterday the BC Court of Appeal granted an injunction prohibiting the drilling program until the Court hears and decides the case.

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation calls on the BC Government to resolve, once and for all, the ongoing threat to an area of profound cultural and spiritual importance to the Tŝilhqot’in people, by an unacceptable mining proposal that has been rejected twice by the Government of Canada.

The drilling permit approves 76 kilometres of new or modified road and trail, 122 drill holes, 367 excavated test pits and 20 kilometres of seismic lines throughout Te2tan Biny (Fish Lake) and surrounding area. The Government of Canada rejected TML’s New Prosperity mine proposal in 2014, and the mine cannot legally be built as matters stand. Two independent federal panels have confirmed the area is of unique and special importance to the Eilhqot’in.

Quotes:

Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Joe Alphonse, Tribal Chairman, T’Ohqot’in National Government: “We continually have to go to court to protect our cultural and spiritual sites. These areas should be off the table for any kind of invasive development. While this injunction grants a temporary relief from extensive drilling and exploration work, we are still calling on the BC Government to step in and put a full stop to this drilling permit. BC has options available to them to protect cultural sites like these. Both the Prosperity and New Prosperity projects have been rejected by the Federal government. To think that anything can proceed on this site is absolutely illogical.”

Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Russell Myers Ross, Vice-Chair, Tŝilhqot’in National Government: “The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is relieved that there is an injunction in place temporarily, however, it does not address the ongoing threat to our homelands. If the BC Government intends on making strides towards honouring the rights and consent of Indigenous Peoples, then the moment for reconciliation needs to be put to the test in times like these to resolve major

conflicts before they escalate any further. We turn to the BC Government to make the right decision and end this conflict. Again, the Tŝilhqot’in Nation is put in a position of self-defence and resorted to civil means. It is our intention to turn our energy to the Dasiqox Tribal Park, presented as an alternative vision. The more we have to fight, the more effort we put into ensuring that our children have a future in our territory.”

Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Jimmy Lulua, Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government: “The connection that our people have to this place goes back thousands of years. People spent their time gathering around these sacred waters with their families — with some also laid to rest here. Granting this injunction was the only right thing to do. We will continue to work to ensure our people are able to use this area for generations to come as they always have. This is only a temporary relief until the appeal is heard at the end of November. There are solutions available to the BC Government, and we still call on Premier Horgan to step in and put an end to this drilling permit and the ongoing threat from this rejected mining project.”

Media Contact:
Myanna Desaulniers
Communication Manager
Tŝilhqot’inNational Government
(250) 305-7885

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