Blockade Could Resume

Friday, February 22, 2008 01:26 PM

The Maiyoo Keyoh say they may resume their logging roadblock east of Fort St James at any moment.

The Maiyoo Keyoh members and supporters blocked access by loggers to the Keyoh for 12 days until an agreement was reached on Wednesday.

“Now the logging contractor says Canfor has told him he’s not authorized to speak for Canfor,” Maiyoo Keyoh representative Jim Munroe said Friday morning.

“And Canfor says they still plan to log the block on our Keyoh.”

“We’re watching and visiting the site regularly. The moment anyone begins to move any logging equipment back we’ll be back in our camp at the roadblock 24 hours a day, “ said Munroe. “In the meantime we’re gathering more supporters, equipment and supplies so we can expand the camp when the time comes.”

Munroe said he’s disappointed and angry that the Ministry of Forests won’t help resolve the issue. He said the Ministry’s Assistant Deputy Minister travelled from Victoria to Fort St James on Thursday. He said the senior official met the Ministry’s District staff, the mayor of Fort St James and others but did not contact the Maiyoo Keyoh.

“The Ministry created this problem. They’ve set up unjustified infringement on our title to the land. They’ve set up this confrontation between Canfor and ourselves, and now they’re sitting back and apparently enjoying the show.”

The blockade was removed on Wednesday when the logging contractor told the Maiyoo Keyoh that Canfor told him to log another block of timber away from the keyoh.

At the moment the contractor is logging the other block, Munroe said.

The Maiyoo Keyoh blockade of the logging operation began February 9 when the logging contractor employed by Canfor began cutting a road right of way onto the keyoh.

The Maiyoo Keyoh claim the road was being pushed towards an area where Canfor was planning a massive logging operation.

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Posted on Friday, February 22, 2008 01:26 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Andyfreeze on February 23 2008 9:28 AM

How about instead of just confrontation,these people who feel they are being cheated out of their land offer to exchange that land for jobs for as many as possible?
Anything is better than a long drawn out war of words and people losing their livelihoods.
Negotiate for something of value over the long term that will actually fit in your pocket and make your life better!

Posted by: northman on February 24 2008 8:43 PM

Ive been printing off and cutting out Maiyoo Keyoh's propaganda and wiping my ass with it becaue thats the only use it serves. All i see from reading these articles is a group placing fault on everyone else for their probems.

Posted by: metalman on February 25 2008 8:48 AM

Yes, blame everybody you can think of for injustices your ancestors suffered, hey it is a growth industry; the blame game.
It has firmly entrenched a system of entitlement. I mean even if the indian blood in your system is watered down you qualify for free benefits that most Canadians cannot access. That is the worst variety of B---S---T that exists today! I can kind of half heartedly go along with the Metis position (barely) but to be entitled even if you are 1/4 or 1/8 indian? That's just wrong. Our native brothers seem to be entitled to a lot these days, all we hear in the news is how badly 'they' have been treated, and the media is only too glad to sensationalize the "horrific living conditions" that the poor indians have had forced upon them. Sorry, but I have seen the evidence with my own eyes on numerous occasions, Brand new houses are reduced to shacks within a year, and it is the white man's fault. I bet there is nobody out there who has not either heard of this or seen it. The reason for this wanton destruction?
Simple. They do not respect what they have been given. The key word here is 'given' Until someone has had to work for what they need and want in life, they will not develop a sense of respect for expensive things given freely. Furthermore, all the munificence that the government so freely distributes does not always reach those further down the totem pole.
It is time for a complete overhaul of the indian industry, and let's work hard to keep the government in a minority position so that common sense might prevail, and one day we can all live in peace as equals.
metalman.

Posted by: northman on February 25 2008 8:52 AM

Metalman for Premier. Good post!