Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Unilateral+park+declared+Tsilhqot+includes+Prosperity+mine/10192766/story.html

The source of this post refers to the Tsilhqot’in claim of sovereignty over vast areas near Fish Lake, including proposed area of “the $1.1-billion New Prosperity copper-gold project”, which further compromises the future of said project.

 

The area designated to the project is outside the 1750 square-kilometer area that the Tsilhqot’in are supposedly entitled to, however the First Nation aims to expand its boundaries and make the site a Tribal Park Boundary. This would prevent Taseko and any other company to set up projects in that area without the approval of the First Nation government and in return will only allow small-scale projects which will benefit Indian employment.

 

Being from Peru, a country which has to deal with Amazonas tribes, some of which have never been in contact with civilization, I empathize with the First Nations. Governments usually forget that the country they rule was originally populated by other people. People whose rights have been ignored again and again throughout history. It has happened in Canada, it has happened in Peru, it happens everywhere.

 

It is true that the Tsilhqot’in have no “legal” right to the area they are claiming and that they have acted in a rush and in an authoritarian way However one may argue that there might be reasons to it. The Prosperity copper-gold project has been rejected twice by federal government because it supposes a danger to the environment, which being so close to the Tsilhoqot’in boundary would endanger it itself.

 

In my opinion the best solution would be for Taseko to create a plan that wouldn’t damage the environment and to employ First Nation people on it so in that way both parties are satisfied. The extent of how much can this be done is up to the Tsilhoqot’in and Taseko.