Teztan Biny

---

Fighting for Lakes, Water & Rights

Panel presentation on defending Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) and the rights of communities.

Thursday, May 27th @ 6:30 pm

The Maritime Labour Centre

1880 Triumph Ave, Vancouver

By donation, sliding scale from $5 to $20, no one turned away.

The panel:

- Presentations from the Tsilhqot’in Nation on their struggle to defend Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) and the rights of their nation and communities.

- Rex Weyler, cofounder of Greenpeace International and editor of the Greenpeace Chronicles, on challenging the fundamentalist logic of economic growth and consumerism.

- Maude Barlow, the National Chair of the Council of Canadians, on the fight to defend lakes across the country and the broader struggle for water justice around the world.

Vancouver-based Taseko Mines Ltd is proposing to drain Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) in order to stockpile ROCK waste and use Fish Creek and Little Fish Lake as tailings impoundment areas for a gold-copper mining project called Prosperity Mine. Teztan Biny is home to an estimated 85,000 rainbow trout. The Tsilhqot’in have lived in the area for thousands of years. They oppose the environmental destruction being proposed by Taseko Mines and were not consulted by the Province of British Columbia when it approved the project.

The Tsilhqot’in Nation filed a writ in B.C. Supreme Court claiming an Aboriginal right to fish in the area that they have never ceded to the Province. The claim, if successful, will prevent Taseko Mines Ltd. from developing its proposed Prosperity Project, 125 km southwest of Williams Lake. Additionally, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's federal review panel that has traveled to communities throughout the territories was given a clear message that the Tsilhqot'in and their supporters in Williams Lake are saying no to the project. However, given that the voices of communities are often ignored in favor of business interests of the applicant we need your support to save Teztan Biny.

The logic of allowing "economic growth" to cause ecological destruction needs to be challenged and the destruction of pristine fresh water lakes is simply another reason why. Water is a common resource. The rights of communities to protect water that they depend upon for their very basic needs and cultural traditions must be prioritized over the profits of a mining company.

Join us on May 27^th and join the fight for lakes, water and community rights!

This event is being organized by the Surrey-White Rock, Vancouver-Burnaby and Delta-Richmond Chapters of the Council of Canadians.

For more information please call 604 688 8846 / email cathwi@telus.net or karinjohnson_@hotmail.com

Every dollar counts. If you are able to make a donation, in any amount, then we are asking you to please make a contribution via cheque made out to R.A.V.E.N. (Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs), or via the RAVEN web-site at: http://raventrust.com/ Write CSP2 in memo line for a tax deductible receipt.
Cheques can be sent to: R.A.V.E.N. 2nd Floor 844 Courtney St. Victoria, B.C. V8W 1C4 To follow the Hearings, click here: http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/05/documents-eng.cfm?evaluation=44811&type=2 To read Rafe Mair's article about Fish Lake, click here: http://thecanadian.org/rafe_fish_lake.html (Please Note: Rafe's article includes a link so you can watch the film 'Blue Gold' on your computer) We know you can make this happen!!! We did have a significant victory , and thanks to everyone (there were a lot of you!) who wrote to the Panel asking that "Blue Gold" be shown, well, the Panel agreed. Furthermore, this may be the first time a documentary has been used in a federal environmental assessment review hearing. Cheers, Pat Swift info@fonv.ca www.fonv.ca P.S. If any of the links don't work, please copy and paste into your browser. Here is the updated link to the panel hearings and submissions. There are written documents and audio files as well - Linda http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/05/documents-eng.cfm?evaluation=44811&type=2


Hello all, I haven't been able to keep up with the flood of documents on the Registry, but I assume most of you are checking regularly in any event. Here's the link for those who need it: http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/050/05/documents-eng.cfm?evaluation=44811 I did want to draw your attention to some written submissions from Tsilhqot'in members that might otherwise be overlooked. They are heartfelt and powerful. 1985 Submission for the Public Hearings(English only) Kylan William Panel Secretariat 2010-03-28 1982 Submission for the Public Hearings(English only) Geraldine William Panel Secretariat 2010-03-28 1979 Submission for the Public Hearings(English only) Tasheena William Panel Secretariat 2010-03-28 Congratulations to everyone on the great work so far - keep it up! All the best, J.

Tsihlqot’in Vow to Protect Teztan Biny (Fish Lake)

By Erin Hitchcock - Williams Lake Tribune

Published: February 16, 2010 8:00 AM

Dozens of protesters held up signs on Highway 97 between McLeese Lake and MacAllister Thursday afternoon to show their opposition to the destruction of Fish Lake should Prosperity mine be built.

Among those protesting were Xeni Gwet’in Chief Marilyn Baptiste, ?Esdilagh Chief Bernie Elkins, Tl’esqox Chief Francis Laceese, Ulkatcho First Nation Chief Allen Louie, and Lhtako Dene Nation Chief Geronimo Squinas.

They, as well as members from First Nations communities and their supporters, displayed messages such as “Our lakes and our rives are our life, Our elders won’t gather at a mine site, Our pristine lakes are the heritage for our children and grandchildren, You know you hit rock bottom when you’re a miner,” and “Water is more precious than gold.”

They were also protesting the B.C. government’s recent decision to grant Taseko Mines Ltd. an environmental assessment certificate for the mine following the provincial review process that was completed.

A federal panel is still reviewing the mine project and will hold public hearings beginning March 22 in Williams Lake.

If built, the copper-gold mine would be built about 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake at Fish Lake (Tetzan Biny), which First Nations chiefs say is sacred and in the Tsilhqot’in declaration of rights area.

As part of its Fish Compensation Plan, Taseko Mines Ltd. would build a new lake and fill it with fish to replace Fish Lake that would be compromised for the mine.

Laceese, holding a sign that read “Free the Tsilhqot’in you just might free Tibet,” said many Tsilhqot’in members and other supporters were demonstrating Thursday because they don’t want to see the mine go through.

“The land is very vital to our people and where we make our livelihood,” Laceese said. “We want our waters to remain pure for the fish and for our people’s survival.”

He said the protesters wanted to send a strong message to the government and the mining industry that the Tsilqot’in Nation is going to stand firm against the mine.

“We have a lot of allies that will be supporting us right across B.C. and right across Canada,” he said. “Our people are very concerned about this proposed mine and we can’t stand back any longer to let them just push it through and rubber stamp the whole process.”

Baptiste — with signs behind her that said “destroying Fish Lake not the answer” and “blue gold” — said the protesters were trying to get the attention of the world.

“We are looking to save our fish, our waters, the headwaters of the Taseko River and Taseko lakes, which are a part of that wild salmon run that is part of the Chilko run,” Baptiste said.

She said the protest would get more people to realize they do have a voice and that there are First Nations who are concerned.

She said the protesters gathered were a fraction of the Tsilhqot’in people who are concerned about their aboriginal right to hunt, fish, and gather food and medicines.

She added that the B.C. environmental assessment process is “a rubber stamp” process that has never turned down a mine.

Baptiste said a joint review panel process should have been used, not the B.C. environmental assessment process and the federal panel review process. A joint review process, she said, would have included First Nations, the provincial government, and the federal government.

“Through B.C. Supreme Court and our aboriginal rights and title case, this proposed mine is in our Eastern trap line in the declaration of rights area,” Baptiste said, adding that since the Tsilhqot’in Nation has never given up its rights or title, the mine should have been reviewed only under a joint review panel.

“Our land is not for sale, has never been for sale, as we have never entered into the treaty process, and we don’t intend to,” Baptiste said.

Brian Battison, vice president of corporate affairs, said all of the First Nations concerns will be addressed through the federal review process.

“Those questions may be asked and they’ll be addressed in the federal process as they were addressed in the provincial process,” he says.

Posted by Ahni on January 9, 2009

The Tsilhqot’in Nation headed to court on Tuesday, seeking to prevent Taseko Mines from going ahead with its multibillion-dollar “prosperity” gold and copper mine in southern British Columbia.

The claim, if successful, would stop Taseko from converting Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) into a mining waste dump site.

Teztan Biny is one of 16 lakes that the Canadian government marked for ‘reclassification’ last June, by using a controversial provision under the Fisheries Act known as ‘Schedule Two’ which allows them to redefine any lake as a “Tailings Impoundment Area.”

Once a lake is redefined it is no longer considered a natural body of water.

Central to the court action, which was brought on by Chief Marilyn Baptiste of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation, a sub-group of Tsilhqot’in, is the Aboriginal right to fish in Teztan Biny. The lake, which is located within the Tsilhqot’in’s traditional land base, is home to a unique species of rainbow Trout that numbers more than 80,000.

If the company has its way, it will empty Teztan Biny of all it’s water,
and create a replacement lake six kilometers away, “Prosperity Lake,” which would eventually become the new home for Teztan Biny’s inhabitants.

“The band’s lawyer, Jack Woodward, called Taseko’s plans to build a new lake ‘audacious’ and questioned the feasibility of creating the right conditions for these unique trout,” notes the Globe and Mail. “Normally, only God creates lakes,” he said. “The idea that there is some empty niche where you could find a habitat for 85,000 fish is a denial of what we know about how biological systems work.”

Putting things into an historical perspective, Chief Baptiste adds, “In 1864 we had our war leaders protect our territory on the west side – they were after gold then. Now we are looking to protect our territory on the east side. Back then our leaders knew we cannot eat gold. If they go after the gold now, that would destroy our fish and our water.”

To download a copy of the statement of claim, see woodwardandcompany.com. You can also contact Chief Marilyn Baptiste by phone, (250) 394 7023 Ext. 202; and visit protectfishlake.ca> for some background.