Photo of Tsilhqot’in celebration gathering by Garry John.
Council of Canadians Board member Garry John traveled to the Tsilhqot’in Nation yesterday for a celebration dinner to mark the defeat of the proposed New Prosperity mine.
He writes, “A great day to celebrate victory and solidarity with the Tsilhqot’in. …I was honoured to speak as a Board member from the Council of Canadians and as a representative from the St’at’imc. I had the opportunity to thank the Tsilhqot’in for taking up a strong fight against significant odds, but with their determination and the help of good allies they persevered TWICE! …Congratulations Tsilhqot’in. A very significant victory for your nation, thank you for speaking for the land and the fish and the animals.”
The Canadian Press has reported, “A broad range of opponents celebrated the decision (against the mine by federal environment minister Leona Aglukkaq), including the Sierra Club, the Council of Canadians and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. But Conservative MPs Dick Harris (who represents the Cariboo-Chilcotin riding where the mine would have been located) and Cathy McLeod (who represents the neighbouring Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding) both publicly objected.”
The Council of Canadians extended solidarity to the Tsilhqot’in people and helped to stop the New Prosperity mine by: protesting against Taseko outside its annual general meeting in Vancouver in June 2012; drumming with 260 people to protest at Williams Lake city hall against the mine in December 2012; producing a report about the additional costs of the mine in February 2013; mobilizing our supporters to express their opposition to the mine to the federal review panel in March 2013; presenting to the federal review panel in August 2013; supporting a mass ceremony with traditional and modern song and dance outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in December 2013; and more.
Further reading
WIN! Tsilhqot’in Nation stops the New Prosperity mine
