The Federal Government recently announced that the “New Prosperity” project proposal would go forward and be submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) where a 12-month evaluation and review would begin.
The decision brought heavy criticism from many sides, including the Tsilhqot’in First Nation, whose territory will be directly affected by the mine, the BC NDP, and the Sierra Club amongst many others.
There are many reasons why this proposal has sparked such outrage but it is best summarized by Marilyn Baptiste, Chief of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation (one of six nations within the Tsilhqot’in National Government) in an article featured in Northern Miner and accessible via the Raven Trust website. Her eight reasons why the New Prosperity project will fail are as follows:
1. The Federal CEAA report, rejecting the original Prosperity project, was not even close to the rubber-stamped report by the BC Government.
2. The company, Taseko Mines Ltd., knows its new option is as bad as, or worse than, the original that was previously rejected.
3. “New” Prosperity is not, in fact, “new.” It is simply “Mine Development Plan 2” from the original project proposal.
4. The additional $300 million to be spent on the project is not a pre-emptive decision to make the project more acceptable. It is actually an obligatory expense since the Government denied the company the permission to drain Fish Lake and use it as a tailings pond. The $300 million is the expense to build their own pond.
5. The Canadian Government is obligated by the Constitution and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to protect First Nations. The Xeni Gwet’in would be directly and adversely affected by the project proposed.
6. An approval now would render the environmental assessment process meaningless.
7. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans opposed the project when it was first announced in 1995. They rejected it last year, and will do so again next year because nothing in the proposal has changed. The CEAA found last year in its report that Option Two was worse than Option One.
8. There are many other, more worthwhile mining projects to focus on that will also require the government to work with Aboriginal communities. The Government is wasting its time with this already failed project.
Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent has been quoted as claiming, “Our government always balances environmental concerns with Canadians’ top priority – jobs and the economy.” However, the decision to review the Prosperity project a second time makes it look like the scales are tipped in favour of economy and jobs, not in balance. As Fin Donnelly, the NDP Fisheries critic said, this new assessment process is “a waste of time and taxpayers’ dollars.”
As the project begins its second review process, the Province of BC has given the company a license to build 23.5 km of roads and construct 59 test pits and 18 drillholes in preparation. Given the year-long review process, this license granted by the Province is a pre-mature action that snubs the official environmental assessment process.
It is now more important than ever to pressure the Federal Government to maintain its credibility and reject this project once again. Letters can be written to (but not limited to) Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , our local Member of Parliament; Dean Del Mastro: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; and the CEAA: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Watch for campaigns and letter writing sessions with Canadians for Mining Awareness throughout the coming year.
