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Thursday, August 14, 2014 X Volume me 27 No. No.. 95 95
THURSDAY
Polygamy charges approved against four Bountiful men Page A23
THIS WEEK
Rudyy Uhl’s BC BCFC season seaso on is off to a hott start Pagee A27 Thompson Th hom omps p onn River Publications Publicatio Limited Partnership
B.C. boosts lumber trade with China
‘This is a wake-up call’ By Cam Fortems STAFF REPORTER
cam@kamloopsthisweek.com
The chief of Neskonlith Indian Band will hand-deliver an “eviction” notice today at the Vancouver office of Imperial Metals in wake of its Mount Polley tailings breach. “This is a wake-up call,” said Neskonlith chief Judy Wilson. “Our chiefs have said there’s a moratorium and there should be no exploration.” Shuswap Nation Tribal Council has called for a freeze on JUDY WILSON mining development and exploration in its traditional territories after a tailings breach spilled millions of litres of contaminated water into Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek and Quesnel Lake. Interior Health Authority recently declared the water outside the immediate zone at Mount Polley is safe to drink and fish are so far unaffected. Imperial Metals has applied for permits to develop the Ruddock Creek mine, located in an alpine area about 28 kilometres east of Avola. The tailings area is located in the North Thompson River watershed. The company proposed to store thickened tailings in nearby Light Lake for the first six months, fol-
Neskonlith Indian Band delivers eviction notice to company behind Mount Polley Mine, which is also behind a project near Kamloops
‘‘
It’ss right in our It watershed. We’re still very much opposed to Ruddock Creek — Judy Wilson Chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band
lowed by backfilling underground works. Earlier this month, the Conservative government allowed a substitution of the federal review for Ruddock Creek mine in favour of a review by the province of B.C. The province’s Environmental Assessment Office will now do all the reviews and B.C. cabinet ministers will have the final say on whether the proposed lead-zinc mine will proceed. It a partnership between Imperial Metals, Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. and Itochu Corporation. The proposed project would mine 3,000 tonnes of ore a day for an eight-year project life. A representative at Imperial
TUMTUM LAKE
AVOLA
PROPOSED MINE
RUDDOCK AT A GLANCE
RUDDOCK CREEK: The proposed Ruddock Creek Mine would be a zinc and lead operation located 155 kilometres northeast of Kamloops. It is a 50/50 venture between Imperial Metals and a pair of Japanese corporations.
”
couldd not be reached Metals could cou KTW for comment by K TW W press time. posess risk and the “The mine pos processing,” risk is in processi g,” said Ramsey a Hart, who heads MiningWatch, M watchdog. national watchdog experience Hart said expe ence has shown the B.C. government is far more likely to approve projects than the federal government. At the urging of the province, the federal government amended legislation in 2012 allowing for substitution of environmental reviews. “In general, we think the federal government has an important role to play for a number of reasons,” Hart said. “They have the expertise and the independence from the on-the-
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ground politics.” Hart also noted the Shuswap bands opposed the substitution. “When you ignore the rights of concerns of First Nations, it’s a good recipe for delays, review and legal cases.” A recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling gives First Nations much stronger rights on traditional territory, akin to private property but without ability for easy expropriation by government. Wilson said neither the province nor company have adequately consulted with the band, which does not have the resources to hire its own experts on complex mining files. “It’s right in our watershed,” Wilson said. “We’re still very much opposed to Ruddock Creek.”
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The B.C. government is hoping for a boost to the province’s lumber markets after signing a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese province to increase wood-frame construction. The memorandum, signed Aug. 13, calls on the governments of B.C. and Zhejiang province, located on China’s eastern coast, to work together to promote wood-frame construction for public buildings and home renovations. Promotion will include developing building and fire codes and standards for wood-frame construction in Zhejiang and organizing knowledge exchanges. The MOU is valid for the next five years. Zhejiang sees woodframe construction as more sustainable, in keeping with the eco-friendly image the province wants to project to tourists. Up to now the province has favoured cement construction. B.C. Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Steve Thomson said the MOU is an “important step” in B.C.’s relationship with the province, which has the fourth highest GDP in all of China. “It will help us continue to build a market there and increase the value of wood products to these markets,” he said.
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