If the process is not streamlined soon, there will be no new mines developed for a very long time. I am not saying to throw caution to the wind, but the current system takes far too many years to complete before ground is broken.

Changes in our Provincial Government also affect development greatly - case in point: 20 years ago Placer Dome was touting the Mt. Milligan project, then the NDP came in. Placer Dome immediately stopped all development in BC and opened up the big copper mines in Chile. I am stating this not as a jab at any political party, but just as historical reference.

Once again, another admission by a local politician that we wasted taxpayer money on something for which we had no viable agreements in place to begin with.

In the REAL world, if you and I want to open a business, we need to prove to the banks and investors that we have all our ducks in a row to ensure commercial viability of our project: A proven business plan, signed business contracts ready to go, government permitting in place, etc.

Instead the wasteful politicians just get to spend $36-million of our money, cut a few ribbons, then sit back and wait while the thing collects dust and the PGAA starts the begging process for customers and federal gov't support.

Two and a half years to approve the environmental process. WAY TOO LONG!!!!!!!!! If I had to wait that long for a job offer, I would be bankrupt.

Streamline yes, then we have the natives.

When it all boils down,once the environmental process gives it a green light. It will be a go. Sure there might be a few angry people out there, but this land belongs to everyone, not just one group of people. Thus in a civilized culture we have people elected and selected to make these decisions for us.

I am sure there will be the odd shot fired, roads blockaded and few transgressions done to the project. But if the people behind the project are strong, it will get built. people will be employed, mortgages paid, food on the table and of course pay taxes.

I am so tired of such a minority group of people dictating what can and cannot happen on CROWN land. The natives believe in this archaic notion that it's their land when in reality it belongs to British Columbians and Canadians in general.

Have your protests, do your whining and complaining, but in the end get the heck out of the way. We need jobs.

Agreed Mercenary Everyone needs to start being treated equally as Canadians! If I set up a road block like they did in Deese lake in sept I would be arrested immediatly but its ok for the natives to stand across the road holding rifles and denying people the right to our province for 2 weeks. Lets not kidd ourselves, this is not an envirnmental issue it is strictly economic. Enough is enough, they've been given so much money and so many handouts, whens it going to end.

Regardless of what any first nations band may say,they too must follow legal due process.
That's how it works.
They cannot simply say that land is ours,and everything comes to a halt.
In the case of Mt.Milligan,the band in Fort St.James opted out of the environmental permitting process by their own choice, so it simply carried on without them.
They did not like the way it was being done even though it was all above board and legal.
That is also how it works.
Proper legal environmental procedure was followed by Terrane Metals and the federal and provincial goverments, and the permit was granted, as it had every legal right to be.
Terrane did everything within the law and with strict environmental standards at all times.
This a good mine!
If that was not the case,there would simply be no permit.
We cannot keep sacrificing the needs of a few over the needs of so many, and we should not read more into this than is really there.
They can protest,blockade,whatever, but in a court of law,the Fort St.James band would lose because they were not part of the process by their own choice.
Not a smart thing to do.
There is also very serious conflict of interest happening, because the Sam family,who are band council members, are claiming the area in which the mine will be built as their own personal keyoh, over and above the interests of the band.
That too will eventually come to head.
And quite a number of band members are not happy about that!
A number of ban members have already worked at the mine and I am sure they will again during the construction and after.
It is also interesting that the McLeod Lake band already has an agreement in place with Terrane, and they claim the area as their own, which appears to be true.
In any event,it is in everyones favour to work it out and work it out they will.
The main thing is not to cut off your nose to spite your face!
This mine IS coming, and that is a great thing for the entire area,first nations included!

And while I rarely agree with Shirley Bond on much,she is right on this one!
There is no excuse for the environmental process for permitting to take 2 or 3 years.
The odd thing is,people have been telling the government/s that for a very long time.
So why now is it an issue that must be dealt with,other than the government is broke?

Getting a permit for a mineral mine is a lot like trying to get something done at Prince George city hall.
Herding cats seems an apt comparison.
metalman, kitty wrangler in training.

Quote "City Hall is the worst City to deal with in all of Canada and Western USA". Quote from a very successful and large developer this summer.