The Canadian Press reports, “Southwestern British Columbia’s St’at’imc Chiefs Council is threatening to block (the Sea to Sky highway, formally known as Highway 99) and (the Canadian National Railway) line and ’embarrass’ private companies and the next provincial government over trespasses on its traditional territory. Chief Garry John said he wants the next government in Victoria to deal with the issue urgently and he plans to raise the topic, triggered by a recent B.C. Supreme Court decision, at a public event today in the community of Lillooet.”
“In her Feb. 7, 2013 ruling, Madam Justice Loryl Russell found the Douglas Trail Road, also known as the Highline Road and which runs through the band’s traditional lands, is a public highway. …According to the B.C. Supreme Court ruling, the Douglas Trail Road is 24-kilometres long and connects the communities of D’Arcy and Seton Portage. The private BC Electric Company, a precursor to BC Hydro, built the road in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and the route overlaid sections of a trail developed in the late 19th century, states the ruling. …The Pacific Great Eastern Railway also built a right-of-way over the trail between 1912 and 1915, states the ruling. Russell found a variety of groups, including BC Hydro, BC Rail, loggers, residents and tourists, used the road, which is an ‘essential access’ to nearby communities, and enough public money has been spent on it.”
But, “John said CN’s main line runs north through the middle of the First Nation’s territory, starting near Whistler. Land was taken from the First Nation without any consultation or accommodation along northern sections of Highway 99, he added, and Telus runs its line on BC Hydro poles but doesn’t necessarily have an agreement with each of the First Nations’ communities.”
“Scott Fraser, the New Democrat’s aboriginal affairs critic and a candidate in the riding of Alberni, didn’t comment on the specific infrastructure issue, but he said the party has a larger action plan for First Nations. He said the party has committed to building a government-to-government relationship with First Nations, and within the first 100 days, NDP Leader Adrian Dix and the minister responsible for aboriginal issues would meet with the First Nations Leadership Council and all chiefs.”
“‘I guess the bottom line is we want to let people know that the St’at’imc are very reasonable people,’ said John in an interview. ‘We’ve tried to be good neighbours for the past, since point of contact, I guess, and we don’t want to have to do things this way. We’d much rather sit down at the table with the next government that’s coming in.'”
For more, please also see:
VIEW: St’at’imc council has more accurate sense of democracy than Harper government, says Vancouver Sun column
UPDATE: St’at’imc Chiefs Council opposes Canada-China FIPA
NEWS: Chief Garry John at solidarity blockade for Chief Theresa Spence
UPDATE: Chief Garry John, local chapter join Tsilhqot’in protest against ‘New Prosperity’ open-pit mine
VIDEO: The Council of Canadians at Occupy Montreal
