National

First Nation considers legal options as B.C. approves mining permit 'without consent'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 22 Nov, 2024 11:48 AM

The Xatśull First Nation says it is "disappointed" that British Columbia's Mines Ministry has granted an operating permit for the Cariboo Gold Mine without meeting its leadership or obtaining the nation's consent.

🚨 Big news for B.C.

The Cariboo Gold Mine has received its Mines Act permit:
✅634 jobs during construction
✅$137M initial investment
✅$918M during operations

Approved under B.C.'s modernized Environmental Assessment Act, with input from First Nations, experts & the public.
— Jagrup Brar (@JagrupBrar1) November 21, 2024

The mine is on the nation's territory in central B.C. and it issued a statement earlier this month calling for the project to be halted until the nation had given its consent.

The B.C. government announced Thursday that Barkerville Gold Mines, owned by Osisko Development Corp., was issued the permit for the underground mine in a process that took 13 months to complete.

The ministry said it was the first project entirely assessed under the new Environmental Assessment Act, which was modernized to enhance public confidence, and was done in consultation with experts, the public and First Nations, including the Xatśull.

But the Xatśull nation says it did not consent, which showcases "troubling inconsistencies" with how B.C. deals with First Nations and "demonstrates a lack of commitment" to adhere to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The nation says it is considering all legal options and is calling on the newly appointed mines minister, Jagrup Brar, to "ask for clarification on the inconsistent application of UNDRIP across government, including his ministry."

"Xatśull would like to see sustainable resource development in our territory, but it has to be done properly," it says in a news release.

"The government must honour its commitments and truly collaborate with Xatśull in a respectful and inclusive manner and in alignment with UNDRIP. That means immediately moving to consent-based decision-making with Xatśull in relation to major permits and authorization for mines in our territory."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Pharmacare bill passes in the House of Commons, heads to the Senate

The Liberals' pharmacare bill is headed to the Senate after passing third reading in the House of Commons. The bill was the result of careful and lengthy negotiations between the Liberals and the New Democrats as a key element of their political pact to prevent an early election.

Pharmacare bill passes in the House of Commons, heads to the Senate

White Rock woman charged in theft

A 36-year-old White Rock woman is facing several charges including break and enter, theft and possession of stolen goods, after an alert neighbour in Tsawwassen called police to report a robbery. Delta police say it happened around 4:20 this morning when the neighbour saw a man and woman removing property from the home's garage and putting it in a nearby minivan.

White Rock woman charged in theft

Hackers may have accessed 22 B.C. government inboxes, data on 19 employees: Farnworth

Twenty-two British Columbia government email inboxes with sensitive personal information on 19 employees may have been accessed during a cyber attack on the province's networks, the minister of public safety said on Monday. Mike Farnworth said there's no indication the general public's information was compromised and investigators have not identified any misuse of the information the criminals may have accessed.

Hackers may have accessed 22 B.C. government inboxes, data on 19 employees: Farnworth

Woman's body found in Chilliwack

Homicide detectives have taken over an investigation into the death of a 50-year-old woman in Chilliwack that they say is suspicious. R-C-M-P say officers responded to a sudden death at a city home on Sunday where they found the woman's body.

Woman's body found in Chilliwack

B.C. sets distance for drivers to steer clear of cyclists, scooter users, walkers

Drivers in British Columbia now have to meet minimum distances between their vehicle and people walking or riding on provincial roads. The new rules start Monday and require drivers to stay at least a metre away from vulnerable road users if the speed limit is up to 50 kilometres an hour, and a metre-and-a-half at speeds over that.

B.C. sets distance for drivers to steer clear of cyclists, scooter users, walkers

Feds create $530M fund for cities to adapt to climate change

Canadian cities and towns facing an uphill battle to stave off the effects of climate change will share more than half a billion dollars from a new federal adaptation fund. The Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative will offer up to $1 million to local governments for projects that upgrade or adjust their infrastructure and natural environment to be more protected from extreme weather events including floods, fires and major storms.