S TANDARD TERRACE
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VOL. 26 NO. 17
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Moly mine lawsuit launched By ANNA KILLEN The Nisga’a Nation is taking the province of British Columbia to court over an environmental assessment certificate issued for a proposed molybdenum mine on the north coast of B.C. And the company wanting to build the mine, Avanti Mines, has said it will oppose the petition and remains confident in the project. Legal proceedings against the province of British Columbia began July 31, with the Nisga’a
Nation alleging that the province breached its treaty obligations by issuing an environmental assessment certificate in March for the proposed Kitsault Mine project before the assessment was complete. “The concerns raised by the Nisga’a Nation in these court proceedings are the same concerns the Nisga’a Nation raised for over a year during the environmental assessment, and are concerns the Nisga’a Nation attempted to resolve without court intervention in the Nisga’a Treaty dispute resolu-
tion process,” said Mitchell Stevens, president of Nisga’a Lisims Government. The lawsuit alleges that the province failed to properly assess the environmental impacts of the project on water quality, marine habitat and human health, as well as the social, economic and cultural effects on the Nisga’a citizens. “The Nisga’a Nation is simply seeking compliance with the obligations set out in the Nisga’a Treaty, obligations which British Columbia undertook to abide by,”
Terrace hit by break and enters
The Terrace RCMP responded to 18 breakand-enter calls since July 15, and are telling the public to be conscientious about security. “The public is reminded to keep their homes secure (i.e. doors locked, lower windows closed, good lighting),” inspector Dana Hart said in an email. And a person who would prefer to remain unnamed said that the thieves are targeting easily portable items like electronics and move in and out of the targeted residence quickly. Hart added the police have also been seeing thefts from unlocked vehicles and there was also a vehicle theft on August 1. “The public is asked to immediately report any suspicious activity to police,” he said. Hart said he cannot comment on suspects but that local police are actively investigating the thefts. He also said they have been happening in various locations around Terrace but mainly in the Horseshoe and Southside. “Usually when they occur in a rash like this, it’s someone who came into town,” said media relations officer Const. Angela Rabut about the recent spike. So far this year there have been 57 residential break and enters and 37 to businesses, compared to 61 residential and 24 business during the same period in 2012. For all of 2012, there were 100 residential and 34 business break and enters, said Hart. “The more measures property and business owners can take to deter and make it more difficult for criminals the better,” Hart said, listing motion lights, alarms, secured windows, trimmed trees and shrubs as measures that can be used to deter thieves.
he said. The Ministry of Environment said the province takes the Nisga’a Final Agreement very seriously. “Nisga’a Nation consultation was a central aspect of this environmental assessment... We continue to work with the Nisga’a Nation, in good faith, on the interpretation of the environmental assessment chapter of the Nisga’a Final Agreement,” said the ministry, noting that the province is of the view that negotiation is preferred over litigation.
And the company that wants to build the mine remains confident of the project, while acknowledging that the litigation against the province is a step back. “It is a bit of a setback,” said Avanti Mines president Craig Nelson, noting that doesn’t directly impact the project’s present activities, which are permit-related. “It’s more with the province than it is with us but it has such a profound impact on our project.” he said.
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Amara Janssens PHOTO
■■ Waiting for bail Jailbirds, Debbie Middleton (right), Darren Davis (middle), and Paul Nguyen (left) are desperately calling and texting people to bail them out of Jail and Bail, a fundraiser for Crime Stoppers and an annual Riverboat Days event Aug. 2. Event organizers hoped to raise at least last year’s amount, which was $2,000, towards the fund that pays off tipsters who report useful information in cases of crime. For more Riverboat Days photos, see page A5.
Talk about it
No ambulance
Going international
Man bikes through town on his tour to end violence against women \COMMUNITY A13
Stewart in limbo after paramedics quit due to lack of support \NEWS A9
Mitchell Hess is in Ireland competing in jujitsu at world championships \SPORTS A22