Klabona Keepers and allies gathered at the courthouse yesterday (All Photos by Kieran Oudshoorn)
OCTOBER 8, 2014–Today was a historic day for Indigenous Nations and Peoples connected by the water, the salmon, the moose and by inherent right, responsibility and jurisdiction in their territories and homelands. Imperial Metals, on short leave, applied for an interlocutory injunction and enforcement order against the Klabona Keepers Red Chris mine blockade and sacred fire lit on September 29th 2014. In a historic move, Justice Grauer did not grant the interlocutory injunction or the enforcement order.
The injunction application was heard today in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver at 10am. Imperial Metals’ Steve Robertson was in attendance. The corporation was represented by three lawyers from Fasken Martineau. Three women from the Tahltan and Secwepemc Nations, three women who lit sacred fires in response to Imperial Metals Mount Polley disaster and out of concern and love for land and life represented themselves and were successful. First in petitioning the court to hear and approve a change of venue application to Terrace so that the Elders and youth can attend, witness and speak to the application. Second in blocking the interlocutory injunction and immediate enforcement order from being approved. The Judge instead issued a non-permanent injunction without an enforcement order to be immediately applied. The enforcement order is instead held off until October 14, 2014 to allow time for the rightful titleholders of the land to respond and gather in traditional governance structure to reach consensus on how to respond to the temporary injunction.
“Ultimately, this is an incredible victory – not only for the Klabona Keepers, but for all Indigenous Nations connected by the water and the salmon. Our incredible allies from Secwepemc territory, Kanahus and Anushka, and Klabona Keeper, Loretta, overcame all odds in the colonial court today to seek justice.” –Klabona Keepers statement.
“Injunctions are one of Canada’s last colonial instruments used to dispossess Indigenous Peoples of their land but pressure from the grassroots community is causing the colonial government to retreat. Today’s decision puts the injunction in question as being a sure form of remedy for corporations like Imperial Metals acting with impunity and without consent.” -Arthur Manuel, Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade.
-30-
Kanahus and Anushka
1-250-682-2744
imperialnomore@gmail.com
Rhoda Quock, Klabona Keepers
quockrhoda@gmail.com
Klabona Keepers Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/klabonakeepers
Secwepemc Yuct Ne Senxiymetkwe (Imperial Metals Mount Polley Encampment Page):
https://www.facebook.com/yuctnesenxiymetkwecamp
Shut Down Imperial: Rally At Court Injunction Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/327400990771205/
Indigenous Peoples are putting their bodies on the line and it's our responsibility to make sure you know why. That takes time, expertise and resources - and we're up against a constant tide of misinformation and distorted coverage. By supporting IC you're empowering the kind of journalism we need, at the moment we need it most.
