Xeni Gwet'in First Nations Government Councillor Loretta Williams

Xeni Gwet’in First Nations GovernmentCouncillor Loretta Williams

Introduction• My name is Loretta Williams• My parents are Alice K. Williams and DannyCahoose• My grandparents are Mabel William and LateEugene William• I am newly elected councillor as of June 2013• I was Mining Coordinator at TNG when thisproject was initially proposed• I have worked on this project since 2005 and wasasked to assist with panel preparation this timearound also

Introduction• We welcome up to Nemiah (Xeni) and hope that you enjoyyour stay• We are one of the 6 Chilcotin Communities• Stone is our closest neighbour – impacted by thetransmission line and dependant on the river• Anaham – our largest Tsilhqot’in community dependant onthe river (a lot history of families living in Fish Lake area)• Redstone – dependant on the river• Toosey – impacted by the transmission line and dependanton the river• Alexandria (West and East side of the Fraser River) –dependant on the river and can speak on their experiencewith the impact from the Gibraltar Mine and lack of arelationship with TML

IntroductionOver the next two weeks you will hear from ourpeople. Some may want the New ProsperityProject and but the majority will not.To us nothing has changed from the projectinitially presented.In our eyes Fish Lake will still not be saved andwe will still not use that area if this proposedproject was to go ahead.

History• Taseko came to us in 2005 to present the project• I was asked to engage in the project and be a liaisonbetween the company and our communities• Our goal was to participate and create a picture of how thisproject could benefit and impact our people• We held regular meetings to explain the project to ourpeople• My position at that point was neutral– I had even broughtTML to meetings in the communities.• TNG and TML negotiated a Letter of Intent – signed in 2006• Legal Fees had to be argued on – we needed our lawyers towork along side of us to ensure that our Title and Rightswere not being impacted

History• Participated in the baseline studies• Joint Review Panel Process – negotiatedthis over 18 months in a series ofmeetings with Chiefs, Provincial• Funding pulled from TML – June 2008

History• Through out all the meetings andinformation sessions – our communitiesdeveloped a final decision that we couldnot allow this project to go through• Contacted by Gibraltar Mine employeeswho are afraid to speak out at thesehearings• Contacted by people who live in thevacinity of Gibraltar

History• Because of our declining salmon stocks, lakes are importantfor us to protect because this will ensure that food sourcefor the future• We had concerns of the underground water because we seethese springs near Onion Lake• We have concerns of the river being impacted• We have concerns of the dust• We had concerns of the boom bust cycle• More money – more problems• We have concerns with our people not having time topractice their traditional activities

History• To many unknowns in this project• Gibraltar – effluent release into the Fraser River – this willneed to be done later at the proposed Prosperity Project.• Pebble Mine in Alaska – Proposed project in the headwatersof two rivers• Transmission Line – the communities that will be impactedare Toosey, Canim and Alkali. It will also impact Nemiahbecause it will introduce hydro into an area that has to thisday not been hooked up to the main grid• We have concerns of an influx of outsiders moving into ourpristine homelands

Archaeology• 2 pit houses on theisland• Grave sites• This pipe was found.

Today• Participating with round two• Many of the same people are involved – we toldTML in the past that we will always be here• Our communities are united and you will hearfrom them• I have been assisting with getting thecommunities ready for panel hearings – we wereable to have reps from each of the communitybut the money is coming from a different pot ofmoney

Today• We still have the same concerns• Obviously the ore cannot be moved – the pit willbe right beside Fish Lake• We will not even entertain the idea of using thearea• We cannot lose this area because of the spiritualimportance• We have future plans for the area: destinationpoint for our traditional village, facility to assist inhealing our people because of spiritualimportance, hunting, fishing and continuing ourtraditional practices in the area

Key IssuesMine Site – Fish Lake• Loss of Tsilhqot’in use of this area (hunting, fishing, berrypicking and medicine gathering• Loss of fish & fish habitat• Dust• Noise• Poisonous materials (acid rock drainage)• Heavy metal leaching• Displacement of wildlife• Drastic change in scenery• Disturbance of Tsilhqot’in cultural heritage sites• Concerns with loss of marsh lands• Disturbance of Tsilhqot’in cultural heritage sites (grave sites,pit houses, homesteads, grazing areas and possibleartifacts)• Loss of use of the medicines on the opposite side of thevalley

Key IssuesTransmission Corridor –• Loss of Tsilhqot’in use of this area• Access for non- Tsilhqot’in hunters & fishers• Hydro introduced into an area that hasn’tbeen connected to the main grid• Disturbance of Tsilhqot’in cultural heritagesites• Competition of hunting with non-natives

Key IssuesAccess Road• Increase in traffic• Wildlife mortality• Livestock mortality• Increase in traffic accidents• Increase in dust

We do not want to see this….

In the place of this…

‘Open your arms to change but do notgive up your values’• We are not against development – we encourage it• Tsilhqot’in Framework Agreement• Bio-mass negotiations but in the project was turned down• Sigurdson’s Mill• Memorandum of Understanding with Exploration Companies• Mining Policy• Tsil?os Park• You will hear of more development partnerships as you goto each commuity

Please consider what this proposed mine will do to ourpeople – listen with your heart