Tsihlqot’in Vow to Protect Teztan Biny (Fish Lake)
The Tsilhqot’in Nation headed to court on Tuesday, seeking to prevent Taseko Mines from going ahead with its multibillion-dollar "prosperity" gold and copper mine in southern British Columbia.
The claim, if successful, would stop Taseko from converting Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) into a mining waste dump site.
Teztan Biny is one of 16 lakes that the Canadian government marked for 'reclassification' last June, by using a controversial provision under the Fisheries Act known as 'Schedule Two' which allows them to redefine any lake as a "Tailings Impoundment Area."
Once a lake is redefined it is no longer considered a natural body of water.
Central to the court action, which was brought on by Chief Marilyn Baptiste of the Xeni Gwet'in First Nation, a sub-group of Tsilhqot'in, is the Aboriginal right to fish in Teztan Biny. The lake, which is located within the Tsilhqot'in's traditional land base, is home to a unique species of rainbow Trout that numbers more than 80,000.
If the company has its way, it will empty Teztan Biny of all it's water, and create a replacement lake six kilometers away, "Prosperity Lake," which would eventually become the new home for Teztan Biny's inhabitants.
"The band's lawyer, Jack Woodward, called Taseko's plans to build a new lake 'audacious' and questioned the feasibility of creating the right conditions for these unique trout," notes the Globe and Mail. "Normally, only God creates lakes," he said. "The idea that there is some empty niche where you could find a habitat for 85,000 fish is a denial of what we know about how biological systems work."
Putting things into an historical perspective, Chief Baptiste adds, "In 1864 we had our war leaders protect our territory on the west side - they were after gold then. Now we are looking to protect our territory on the east side. Back then our leaders knew we cannot eat gold. If they go after the gold now, that would destroy our fish and our water."
To download a copy of the statement of claim, see woodwardandcompany.com. You can also contact Chief Marilyn Baptiste by phone, (250) 394 7023 Ext. 202; and visit protectfishlake.ca for some background.
- About
- Spread the Word
Within 24 hours I saw Avatar, the blockbuster, and Blue Gold, the Tsilhqot’in Fight for Teztan Biny, a tiny film project by any standard, and was struck by the way art had imitated life in a way that I was totally unprepared for. Teztan Biny is the story of the Tsilhqot’in Nation, who live in a remote part of British Columbia, and their fight to prevent the mining giant, Taseko, from destroying the place that is an integral part of their culture and identity. Teztan Biny (Fish Lake), is a place where the Tsilhqot’in have fished, hunted, trapped, gathered medicines and engaged in spiritual practices since time immemorial. Taseko plans to use pristine Fish Lake as a tailings dump for the proposed gold and copper Prosperity Mine. The Tsilhqot’in are fighting the mining company, and the provincial and federal governments in a true Human versus Na’vi struggle. Other lakes are, like Fish Lake, slated to be redefined as Tailings Impoundment Areas in unseen, pristine corners of BC and elsewhere in Canada. Those poisoned waters will, as all water will, run downhill and make their way into creeks and rivers, and finally to the sea. To all those who have been blown away by this film and inspired by the triumph of the Na’vi, I recommend that you find out about the battles happening in our own backyard.
It is very sad and apauling to think that we as humans have not learned anything from the big oil disaster in the united states.(B.P)
where on earth is our stupidity taking us as a forward thinking species.we can trade gold ,copper and silver all that we want as comodities, but at the end of the day what do we need in case of a total collapse of our economy or a natural disaster?
Thats right, nothing other than food and water itself. so why on earth is this mining company coming into the middle of the most pristine non polluted area on the entire planet? To replace a pure body of water and a food bearing lake with mining tailings?…what is with this province to consider such an atrocity…isn’t that a crime in itself..and taseko intends to remove all of the fish and relocate them?come on, how are they planning to catch all the fish without damaging them, and where will they be relocated.what is to happen to the incidentals that are not caught.imagine the stress levels and post project mortality rates. Lets mention the incredible costs involved for the re-location project. why doesn’t the mining company build their own lake for the tailings instead of a new lake for the fish,seems more logical. no-one should tamper with an entire lake.Doesn’t history usually prove itself that tampering with nature on a grand scale is a recipe for disaster? oh and by the way lest we forget, the expectation that the indigenous first nations are suposed to step aside “once again” for the alledged betterment of mankind as a whole. if I could speak on behalf of my family,I’m sure our motto would be..we have grown weary of “relocation,relocation,relocation” If we allow too many of these mining companies into the traditional territories, there would be no more relocating,sadly it is a possibility that some could end up in the slums of the big cities much the same way that many others did re: the residential school era.