Consultation Lacking in Pipeline Proposals Say Carrier Sekani
Thursday, January 31, 2013 @ 4:00 AM
Prince George, B.C. – When it comes to pipelines, First Nations want to make it clear, there needs to be consultation and according to the Carrier Sekani Tribal Chief, Terry Teegee, that hasn’t been happening.
“In terms of all these pipelines, there’s two TransCanadas, one Spectra and now, AltaGas together with a Japanese company is looking into another pipeline. I think in terms of process, and how we are being consulted is not appropriate, because right now, there are some studies going on by these companies and our concern is, they don’t even have an agreement with any of our communities.”
The Carrier Sekani are not against development, they have an agreement with the Pacific Trails Pipeline project, the issue here is one of consultation, or lack of such. Tribal Council Chief Terry Teegee says there are some good companies out there, “The come to us and say, we’re really thinking about looking at this proposal what do you guys think? And then we go together from there and talk about it. But there are some big companies who have yet to understand how to deal with First Nations in British Columbia, especially since we don’t have settled treaties in our traditional territory.”
He says there are issues specifically within the Carrier Sekani territories “Where is the route going? What are the traditional use studies? What are the stream studies? All these questions that they are going to be gathering information on, yet we need to do our own information gathering in terms of how this effects our territories, the effects of cumulative impact of all of these pipelines on our territories including the infrastructure that’s required for them and I’m hearing from our own community members this is too much to handle at once.”
He says there needs to be a land use plan developed, something he says the Carrier –Sekani have been calling for , for the past couple of decades. “There was a process in the 90’s but that never really addressed First Nations rights and a lot of First Nations didn’t participate. The issue is land use, and how we’re going to develop, sustainably, the land and how our communities will be involved.” He says the reality is, there is some land that can be developed, and other areas that cannot “That’s a reality that government and industry need to know.”
The Carrier-Sekani have had meetings recently with some of the companies planning pipelines, but he notes, the companies have advised where they are in the process, but as Teegee says, “We’re way back here, and nothing’s going to happen if we are not consulted.” He says they will be putting the pressure on the companies to start talking with the Chiefs, Tribal Council and the Chiefs and Council as well as the Carrier Sekani technical people “before any other development happens.”
The next step will be to examine the regulatory process and advise the companies that are proposing new pipelines “and tell them this is where we’re at, this is where we need to be, how can we get there together? In the end we want them to know these are, in no way, agreed to projects. We still have to meet with our communities.”
Comments
Honestly guys….get in line. When corporations and the like want to build something they don’t really consult the rest of us either. Why should your concerns carry more weight than ours? In fact…they shouldn’t. Many of us share the same concerns about all these pipelines and mines and such. Quite soon you folks need to change your tune from ‘Natives against Them’ to ‘Us against Them’ Us being everyone who shares the same concerns about the environment regardless of where or whom it affects.
“us” in the case of non First Nations is our representatives, the provincial and federal governments.
The First Nations have a right to what they are asking for because there is a map overlay which would deal with their treaty lands where there is a treaty in place and the rest of the lands where there is no treaty in place. I know it is a difficult concept for some, but get over it and make a bit of an effort to learn how it works. It is not all that difficult a concept.
The implementation of it is obviously fraught with some problems. I wonder how much hand holding there is by the government of Canada and the Provinces for such companies for whom this notion is difficult.
So, exactly who do you understand the âusâ to be? You and me? If so, we have representation and if they do not do what a significant number of âusâ we better find someone else to represent âusâ.
Honestly, the reason we are in this quandary in the first place, is because native people, ever since the BNA Act, have been referred to as a problem. Instead of being treated as human beings just like everyone else, the government of the time, and many Canadians today, still view us as a problem.
I don’t view myself as a problem: I’ve always worked, put myself through graduate school, pay my taxes, own a house, watch HNIC, volunteer tirelessly, and try to be an honest hard working person. Those are the qualities I wish people would really see, but believe it or not, there are those people out there who take one look at me and still view me as a problem that they need to change, want to change, or ignore all together.
So the next time you say Us Vs Them, don’t forget that the playing field has been very slanted for years and now that the playing field is finally levelling out, many Canadians see this as a “problem”.
Whose problem is it anyway?
“There was a process in the 90âs ….. a lot of First Nations didnât participate”
Right. Many of us know that and kept being frustrated by the whole thing because there were attempt to consult, but it needed the other party, and they were often not there. I am sorry, the world should not stop because of that, but it sure slowed down.
The reason was due to lack of treaties. The present government made it a point to finalize the treaties within a decade or so, as I recall. Attempts were certainly made, but nothing much happened. With the local band, I beleive that they turned the proposed agreement down. So there is still nothing in place.
Perhaps there is something wrong. Perhaps it works in favour of First Nations to not have anything in place. What exactly is it that will motivate the negotiators on both sides?
Perhaps stopping the construction of pipelines could be the motivator.
The opportunities to sell places like Manhatten Island for a few pieces of coloured glass have long gone.
We should now be in serious discussions. There are some examples such as the Navajo Nation that might give some insight into one possibility for some of the lands in BC.
Even Eastern Russia seems to have a better system in place.
I’m sorry. I was born in this country. I was born in northern BC and currenty occupy territory that would fall under ‘treaty’. What about my rights to the land? I have native blood in me too. What about me?
The answer is….who really cares. Sure the table was slanted for years. It isn’t that way any more. Some Canadians see natives as a ‘problem’ but lets face it….sometimes the native population shoots itself in its own foot. The need to stop living in the past is long overdue
“Us” is now the population of Canada. “Them” will be the Government and the corporations that want to pillage the land and put profits before people and the environment.
The mindset, such as Mercenary’s, is difficult to get through, because they only know and see what THEY WANT TO…bottomline…there is no desire for those folks to educate themselves on a process that has been in place for quite awhile now…the duty to consult properly with FNs, because it is recognized by all gov’ts, that the lands are FN’s territories. That’s why their is a consultation process in place …THE EASIEST THING for folks like Mercenary, is to simply turn a blind eye to educating themselves on FN issues in this country. It’s really too bad, especially for them, because folks like Mercenary, simply choose to carry the vinegar in their veins, and most unfortunately, to their kids or nephews and nieces, the same negativity, which does no good for anybody, no matter who you are…
The duty to consult with FNs and get free, prior, informed consent is the process in this country, the more folks in all levels of gov’t and the natural resource industries do that, the better off this country will be.
Silverback….you have problems with reading comprehension. I fully support the fight for equality for natives and for equal recognition in the eyes of all Canadians. The plight of the FN people has been well documented and has been spelt out over quite a few decades now.
What I am trying to articulate….is that in this instance there is no ‘Us against Them’ in the traditional sense. There are many….many folks who live in this country who are sick and tired of the Government and corporations running roughshod over the rights of ALL Canadians.
Seriously dude….learn to comprehend what people write here…it will do you a favour before you spout off about something that you obviously are ill equipped to talk about.
I hope Terry drives a hard bargain, because if the natives win we all win as it trickles through the community.
If all the land was crown it is then a freebee for a corpocracy take over. Native inherent rights are the only constitutional measure we have to check corporate greed… Harper gutted everything else in his omnibus bills.
I struggle too with this treaty issue as I oppose the idea of inherent rights and communal ownership. That said they have as a people endured an historical injustice, and that should be addressed.
I oppose the reserve system and the Indian Act… I think it by design is a monopolistic system that holds free enterprise in contempt. I support home ownership and traditional land rights and I support sovereign democratic governance rights within the Canadian constitution.
What I don’t like is when I see extreme partisan politicians like Dick Harris go on the radio to run down social movements like ‘Idle No More’ by misrepresenting the movement as a Theressa Spence movement of corrupted chiefs, all the while completely ignoring real issues and concerns that sparked the movement (issues he should be discussing)… issues like the omnibus bills that try to short circuit constitutional rights of natives (and all Canadians for that matter), or issues like changes to the Indian Act in regards to privatizing treaty lands.
How can we possibly move forward when we have politicians that won’t debate the issues and don’t promote understanding for the greater public?
A lot of politicians are in fact racist… a lot of natives are equally racist… and both endure by promoting extreme perceptions and avoiding personal accountability.
IMO I think the best way forward from a native perspective is to focus on the real issues, open up and set a new standard in transparency and stakeholder community governance. With this they can maintain the moral high ground and elevate their bargaining position to generate win-win proposals while strengthening their claims through responsibility.
I think the us verse them argument is counter productive from both sides and the facts are we all bear no responsibility for past generations, we have no guilt to accept as individuals for historical crimes, but we do have a moral responsibility to address historical grievances in ways that respect rights and relations between all Canadians under one Canadian constitution.
Eagleone, you have hit the nail right on the head.
I am a status indian and I will never live on a reserve. The benefits are greatly outweighed by the disadvantages. For example, many people are reserves, contrary to public opinion, pay rent. I know of one guy who has faithfully paid rent for 27 years and he is no better off economically than he was 27 years ago. It’s like paying for a dead horse. He now realizes that he should have bought a house off reserve and paid the mortgage, which would have left him with a nice retirement nest egg or at least something to leave to his kids. His 5 kids were smart though. They took advantage of the band’s policy for post-secondary funds and all of them have university degrees or a trade. They all own houses and are contributing quite nicely to their dad.
The reserve system and the Indian Act are greatly flawed and are in dire need of change. Unfortunately, there is such shortsightedness all around that it is much easier to keep the status quo than to make a change that would benefit First Nations and all Canadians.
Mercenary,
To the contrary…
You should re-read your first post…your use of words, such as “get in line”, “don’t consult with us either”, “Why should your concerns carry more weight than ours, in fact , they shouldn’t”, which is a direct response to what Chief Terry Teegee is stating…that’s your us vs them mentality, not Terry Teegee…
Onward to your second post…
First you apologize because, YOU feel you are “just as native” and yet, you state “nobody cares” and to conclude “natives should stop living in the past”…sounds to me you only wanna believe the status quo about FNs…a typical narrow-minded approach of someone that is ALWAYS trying to portray themselves that they think they know what is best for FNs…colonial thinking is what you have Mercenary…
I stand by my first post about you, Mercenary, as a i said the consultation process is there as a recognition, by all gov’ts, that the lands and waters are FN’s territory…try again Mercenary
BTW Gus,
have a look at what the Osoyoos First Nation is doing for themselves, Chief Clarence Louie is a no-nonsense leader of his community…
Ok…lets try again. Here is my view. There are no special groups here in Canada. Only Canadians. Just because you happen to have native blood or come from Europe, Asia, or even Africa does not change the fact that you are Canadian. As a Canadian….your voice should AUTOMATICALLY carry more weight than someone OUTSIDE Canada when it comes to internal affairs.
Your native voice SHOULD not carry more weight than MINE. We live in the same place….fish in the same rivers and lakes…hunt in the same forests….the LAND is as much MINE as it is yours. MY concerns are your concerns and YOUR concerns are my concerns. WE…as PEOPLE…need to forget about all this whitey versus native garbage and put forth a COLLECTIVE voice to try and stop the Government and Corporations from raping OUR land.
That is the way it is there Silverback….or at least the way it should be. Collectively we need to fight for the preservation of what is clean and pristine here in BC and not argue over who owns what. Because….you know what….if the Government wants it….its gonna take it….no matter what ‘race’ you call yourself.
I cannot spell it out any clearer than that.
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