Sierra Quadra is in the midst of a three part campaign on the Climate Crises And Community Resilience. This kicked off last month, with a showing of the film “Beyond Climate’ at the Quadra Island Community Centre and there are upcoming panel discussions on February 29 and March 28, 2020. (details at the bottom of this page).
Continue reading Sierra Quadra: A Time For Community ResilienceTag Archives: Site C Dam
Unresolved Indigenous Issues
By Roy L Hales
They occupied Cortes Radio’s broadcast area for thousands of years before the European advent. The Homalco, Tla’amin, Klahoose, and K’ómoks nations’ shared language testifies to their common ancestry. Their neighbours, the Laich-kwil-tach were fierce warriors, whose canoes carried raiders into the southern Georgia Strait, Puget Sound and up the Fraser River. (They attacked the Hudsons Bay Company post at Fort Langley in 1837). When the influx of settlers was sufficiently numerous, they took over. The indigenous population was deprived of lands they had occupied for generations. Their customs and governance was superseded. Prior to 1960, the native population could not vote in a Federal election unless they first surrendered their treaty rights and Indian status. This situation is slowly improving. The BC Treaty Commission was set up in 1992, but so far has only signed a single treaty within our area. So I asked the candidates running in the Powell River – North Island what their parties will do about unresolved indigenous issues
Continue reading Unresolved Indigenous IssuesImpending Site C Megatrial
The West Moberly First Nation just released an important update about the failure of their negotiations with the BC Government. The Site C Megatrial will begin in March 2020.
Continue reading Impending Site C MegatrialFeds Neglected Determining Whether Site C Violates Treaty 8
By Roy L Hales
One would have thought democratic governments have a duty to look after the interests of all their citizens, even First Nations. Canada’s current Prime Minister initially promised the indigenous population a new deal. Justin Trudeau is quick to offer bail outs to oil corporations like Kinder Morgan, but the Feds neglected determining whether Site C violates Treaty 8.
Continue reading Feds Neglected Determining Whether Site C Violates Treaty 8Should the BC & Canadian Governments Honour Treaties?
By Roy L Hales
Premier John Horgan blamed the former Liberal Government last month, “They got to the point of no return … It wasn’t about public policy, it wasn’t about energy policy, it wasn’t about the best interests of British Columbians, it was about getting a project past the point of no return.” He approved the Site C Dam project anyway. In so doing, he joined the Canadian Government in sidestepping what may turn out to be the most crucial point in this debate. Should the BC & Canadian governments honour treaties?
Continue reading Should the BC & Canadian Governments Honour Treaties?