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Canada: "No matter what, [New Prosperity Mine] is dead" Says Tsilhqot’in Tribal Chairman

Taseko Mines, the Canadian mining company who has made two failed attempts to launch a gold and copper mine in Tsilhqot’in First Nation Territory in British Colombia, has been granted an extension of an environmental assessment certificate to build an open-pit mine capable of producing 70,000 tons of ore per day over 20 years.  The company was granted the original certificate on January 2010 with the one-time right to extend for another five years if no substantial work had been started. Environment Minister Mary Polak  granted the extension, claiming that the Environmental Assessment Office consulted had with provincial government agencies and First Nations to consider "all relevant factors."  

The Tsilhqot’in National Government, in a press release, expressed their disappointed by the extension, and clarified,  "This extension was vigorously disputed and demonstrates a disregard for the Tsilhqot'in and the two federal environmental reviews which rejected all versions of this project," according to comments by JP Laplante, Mining, Oil and Gas Manager for the Tsilhqot’in.  Despite the cerificate extension, the project can never proceed. The Gold-Copper mine in question has been rejected twice by the Federal Government with numerous concerns voiced by independent panels and provincial and federal experts.  The proposed project is within a proven Tsilhqot’in Rights area and adjacent to the declared Tsilhqot’in Title Lands.  Chief Joe Alphonse, Tribal Chairman of the Tsilhqot’in National Government and Chief of Tl’etinqox, reacted, “No matter what, this project is dead. The Tsilhqot’in are the only First Nation in Canada that have proven Aboriginal title in the courts. The extension of this certificate should be illegal. Denying this extension would have shown respect in regards to our Title negotiations with the Province.”    Chief Roger William, Chief of Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government reiterated that the protecting the environment has been their Tsilhqot’in's top priority in opposing the open-pit mine.   "Industry, government and First Nations need to work together to ensure that our lands are protected for future generations," he explained.