News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By LeRae Haynes 

This morning the federal review panel opened the final public hearing stage for the proposed Prosperity Mine project. The panel and support staff, along with the team from Taseko Mines, met with presenters and a full audience in the Gibraltar Room. 

Review panel chair Bob Connelly welcomed the crowd, expressing surprise at the number of people present. There was a prayer song by drummers and singers from the Tsilhqot’in National Government (TNG) and the singing of O Canada. 

Bob Connelly said that at the end of this final stage of the public hearing stage, the panel will have 60 days to prepare their report. “Your participation is very important,” he told the audience. “The conclusions of this report will have impact on your communities. We take this very seriously.” 

He requested that the audience and the various presenters be courteous, respectful and use appropriate language, and that there be no applause. 

A discussion arose about the admission of a TNG documentary film ‘Blue Gold’ in the public hearing process, which includes interviews filmed in the Fish Lake area. Keith Clarke, legal council for Taseko, stated that showing a movie would be inconsistent with the rules of the federal review process. 

“A movie is a very powerful medium, and a movie is not available to answer questions at the end of the presentation,” he stated. “I’m sure that Taseko, the Williams Lake Chamber of Commerce and other groups could all have produced compelling movies about their views.” 

He said that the issue isn’t whether people shouldn’t see the movie or not, but whether it should part of the panel process. “It’s too late to change the rules and unfair for others, including Taseko,” he continued. 

Legal council for Canoe Creek Band, Dr. Bruce Stadfelt, addressed the panel regarding the film. He said that the film presents the views of the TNG and should be admissible---that the panel review rules allow it. “Blue Gold is a document, like anything else and it’s trite to say that one person’s truth is another person’s propaganda,” he said. “You can’t ask questions of a tape recording, a document or a photograph, either.” 

Two students from the University of British Columbia addressed the topic next, stating that film is used daily as a dynamic tool of communication, and is no different that Taseko’s power point presentation. They also pointed out that the film is not a movie, but a documentary film that is unscripted and that expresses the true sentiment of the people in it. 

Sean Nixon, TNG’s legal council spoke on a conference call by phone.  “The TNG hopes to foster respectful dialogue and feel that the film is a good tool to make that happen,” he said. “They want the people of Williams Lake to see a local perspective of the mine.” 

He said that at least some of the film participants would be available for questions after the film is viewed, a sentiment echoed later in the proceedings by TNG Chief Joe Alphonse from Anahim Lake. 

Taseko Mines Vice President Brian Battison opened the presentation after lunch. “This project was approved by the provincial government in January, through a long, dedicated process and years of hard work,” he said. “The provincial environmental process has done its job and has developed lists of commitments that we will live by.” 

He said that developing Prosperity means draining Fish Lake. “We wish it were otherwise, but there are no viable alternatives,” he explained. “One cannot exist without the loss of the other. 

“Prosperity is at the finish line. This plan is supported by science and endorsed by the provincial government---now we are dedicated to doing the same with the federal government.” 

He outlined the financial benefits that Taseko believes will impact the area if Prosperity is successful. “We believe that there are many First Nations people out there with views more flexible and progressive than those by the TNG chiefs,” he said. “We have over $100 million invested so far in this process so far---when people ask us why we keep going, we answer that we are confident in the benefits for this region, this province and this country.” 

Two other panel members from Taseko spoke about the tried-and-true engineering practices of Taseko and the details about the environmental impact of the open-pit mine on the area. 

Also scheduled for today’s hearing was a presentation by the TNG, with Dan Colgate, Connie Jones, Josee Galipeau, Dave Sharples from the Mining Suppliers Association, Share the Cariboo-Chilcotin Resources, Cariboo GM, the Council of Canadians and the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society being scheduled for this evening’s session. 

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