06 August 2013
Gitxsan Chiefs' Office
August 6, 2013
For Immediate Release
Gitxsan hereditary chiefs given right to intervene in
Morrison Lake mine judicial review
Hazelton, BC. The BC Supreme Court has granted intervenor status to the Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs in the upcoming judicial review of the provincial Environmental Assessment Office’s (EAO) recommendation that the proposed Morrison Lake mine not proceed.
“We support the recommendation against the project from the EAO,” says Bev Clifton-Percival (Gwaans), Chiefs’ Negotiator.
“Protection of our fishing rights on the Skeena River and the river’s salmon stocks is such a critical issue to the Gitxsan that six of our hereditary chiefs applied on August 1st to ask the BC Supreme Court to allow us to intervene in the mining company’s judicial review of the EAO recommendation,” says Bev.
“We cannot allow a mine to affect our food supply, contaminate the waters of the Skeena River, and destroy the salmon stocks relied upon by aboriginal fisheries, since before 1846 along the river and by subsequent commercial fisheries on the ocean.”
The proposed mine would be on the shores of Morrison Lake, about 65 kms northeast of Smithers. Morrison Lake feeds into Lake Babine which then feeds into the Skeena River.
The Gitanyow Nation supported the Gitxsan hereditary chiefs in their application.
“We thank the Gitanyow for their support, and we thank the EAO for its decision,” says Beverly Clifton Percival. “The hereditary chiefs will be in Vancouver August 6-7 for the judicial review and to stand up forcefully to protect the Skeena River.”
Contact: Beverly Clifton Percival, Chiefs’ Negotiator
(250) 847-0603
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