Following a green light last month to continue construction on the controversial Site C hydro-electric dam project, Treaty 8 Chiefs are conducting a special ceremony and news conference on the Legislature lawn Friday to oppose the project.
The Chiefs of the West Moberly, Prophet River First Nations and the Vice President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs will return three "Stakes in the Peace" inscribed with the names of Premier John Horgan and Ministers George Heyman and Lana Popham.
The Chiefs will also return donations to the First Nations' legal challenge against Site C, made by the Premier and Ministers while running for election. The First Nations leaders are part of a group organizing a two-day symposium, which will review the rationale and the decision-making process behind Site C.
Dr. Harry Swain, the chair of the 2014 federal-provincial join review panel on Site C, will speak at the event:
"I think they (First Nations) have a very interesting case based on treaty rights. The past cases were based on a judicial review, and that wasn't really the right form for thrashing it out. So the courts said: 'No, but come back to us with the case and substance; with evidence and witnesses and show us how it's impacting you.' So that's what they're doing now."
Dr. Swain says the problem is: if B-C Hydro continues building Site C, and the courts later decide that it is an infringement of treaty rights, the steep losses being realized at this point with the project will be small in comparision.
The Site C Summit takes place Friday from 1 pm until 9:30 pm and Saturday from 9 am until 4:30 pm at the First Metropolitan United Church on Balmoral Road.