/CNW/ - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn
A-in-chut Atleo strongly supports the call by the Tsilhqotin Nation
Government and First Nation leaders from across British Columbia to
prevent a mining project that would destroy the pristine Teztan Biny
(Fish Lake), a traditional First Nations fishery and sacred ceremonial
site near Williams Lake, B.C.

First Nation leaders from the Tsilhqotin Nation Government and across
British Columbia were in Ottawa today delivering their message to the
federal government which is expected to decide next week on whether or
not to allow the Taseko Mines Limited Prosperity Mining Project to
proceed.

The Teztan Biny - or Fish Lake - has sustained the six member First
Nation communities of the Tsilhqotin Nation for generations. The
proposed mine will not bring prosperity to First Nations in the region
and could instead devastate their communities and their ways of life,
said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo, referencing a study published by
Simon Fraser University economist Marvin Shaffer which states the mine
will produce little net gain for B.C. and may in fact cause a net
financial loss due to electricity subsidies, infrastructure maintenance,
and carbon offset goals.

The plan for the proposed gold and copper Prosperity Mine involves
draining the Teztan Biny completely to create a tailings pond that will
collect toxic effluent from the mining activities. This would destroy
millions of cultural artifacts in the region of the lake, devastate the
surrounding environment and permanently threaten the rich heritage of
the territories of the Tsilhqotin Nation.

The project is unanimously opposed by the six member communities of the
Tsilhqotin Nation, B.C. First Nations Summit Grand Chief Ed John, Union
of B.C. Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip (both of whom attended
todays press conference) and the Assembly of First Nations, which
passed a resolution at the Annual General Assembly in Winnipeg in July.

The AFN Chiefs-in-Assembly resolved to call upon the federal government
to heed the cautions of an independent panel created by the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Agency which concluded that the project would
negatively impact fish habitat, local wildlife, navigation and
traditional land use, permanently destroying lands and waters.

By rejecting the proposed mining project, the Government of Canada
could demonstrate a commitment to environmental protection and the
cultural survival of First Nations, said National Chief Atleo. There
was no meaningful consultation with the affected First Nations and
governments have a legal duty to consult with our people. First Nations
across Canada are eagerly awaiting the government decision that will
determine if there is any value or integrity in the environmental
assessments for major projects, or whether First Nations must turn to
litigation and other means to assert our rights and protect our lands
and cultures.

In addition to the impacts on Teztan Biny, the proposed mining project
would also impact the Tsihqotin Nations rights to hunt and trap,
rights that have been recognized by the British Columbia Supreme Court.
The Teztan Biny area is a traditional food gathering area for the
Tsilhqotin. The lake provides trout and the region around the lake
provides hunting and trapping grounds that could be destroyed by the
proposed mine.

First Nations in B.C. are not, on principle, opposed to development
where cultural, environmental and economic issues are dealt with to
their satisfaction as we saw recently withtwo tax revenue sharing
agreements announced last week, said AFN B.C. Regional Chief Jody
Wilson Raybould, who attended todays press conference in Ottawa,
adding: This is not the case with ProsperityMines which seeks to
destroy Teztan Biny. Common sense in our Province seems to have given
way to greed and the BC AFN strongly urges the Government of Canada to
do the right thing and listen to the Tsilhqotin Nation and reject the
proposal in the interests of all Canadians.

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing
First Nations citizens in Canada.