Tag Archives: Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation

Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

‘We’ll do it ourselves’: Weary of waiting on Ottawa, First Nation sets up marine protected area

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A First Nation in B.C. celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day by taking action where the federal government has not by establishing a new marine protected area in the Great Bear Coast. 

Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation (KXFN) elected Chief Doug Neasloss and the nation’s hereditary chiefs formally and unilaterally announced the Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (Kitasu Bay) Marine Protected Area (MPA), a 33.5-square-kilometre ocean protection zone in their traditional territories near Laredo Sound, 500 kilometres north of Vancouver.

Continue reading ‘We’ll do it ourselves’: Weary of waiting on Ottawa, First Nation sets up marine protected area →
Indigenous Nations, Justice

First Nation leaders say BC implementation of UNDRIP is too slow

By Jacob Cardinal, Alberta Native News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – It has been two years since British Columbia passed legislation requiring the government to align the entirety of its laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). However, despite the legislation, the change seen is extremely limited.

The mandate requires a huge undertaking that involves updating over 5,000 provincial laws. Two major changes announced by the province are: an amendment of the Interpretation Act and an amendment to the B.C Human Rights Code.

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Animals, Indigenous Nations

Conservation group targets hunting tenures to save coastal carnivores

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Douglas Neasloss, chief councillor for the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation, thinks buying up hunting tenures to end trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest is a great idea.

“I just think it’s beneficial for so many reasons,” said Neasloss, also the stewardship director for the community based in the tiny coastal village of Klemtu on Swindle Island in the heart of the world-renowned conservation area. 

The shooting of animals for sport is wasteful, disrespectful and contrary to First Nations values, Neasloss said, noting trophy hunters often remove the hide and head but leave everything else behind.

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Environment, Indigenous Nations

Coastal First Nations take steps to protect wild waters of Great Bear Rainforest

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A coalition of coastal First Nations has achieved a significant step towards protecting the wild shores and waters of the Great Bear Rainforest on B.C’s central coast. 

The Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv nations signed an agreement with Ottawa and the province of B.C. to do a feasibility study for a national marine conservation area reserve encompassing a significant section of the coast and offshore marine waters alongside the Great Bear Rainforest (GBR). 

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Tourism, Waste

Small ship operator’s beach clean-up

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“If we can go out and clean up – helping another set of communities like the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai’xais and Gitga’at – we can certainly start cleaning up our community. That’s what I’d really like to see coming out of this,” said Jonas Fineman. 

He was one of nine eco-tour captains who had just returned from a beach clean up along BC’s central coast. 

Continue reading Small ship operator’s beach clean-up →