ae Creek last week, as tensions ° . over the band’s leadership " AG - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 26, 2005 Band office occupied up nort in bid to oust chief councillor By JENNIFER LANG A GROUP of Tahitan elders concerned about mining development in their tra-. ditional territory took over the band office in Telegraph .- and its pro-mining stance ~ simmered over into politi- - - group 9 cal protest. ; Spokesperson Terri Brown said between 30 and 40 people were camping out in the hopes that chief coun- cilor Jerry Asp would quit. Brown, a resident of Ot- tawa, and past president of the Native Women’s Asso- ciation of Canada, said the stay, . “There ure a lot of us who are dissatistied with the chief” Brown said, as the standoff appeared poised to enter its fifth day. On Jan. 18, 75-year-old band member Bobby Quock -. served-chief councilor Jerry Asp withshis notice. “Protest- was determined to. - ers were also gathering sig- natures on a petition calling for Asp’s resignation. . Brown said the protest-’. ers, most of whom had nev-" ‘er. taken part in a political - demonstration - before; are concerned with existing and potential mines and explora-- tion projects taking place on _traditional territory, -raising fears that mining activily “could harm sacred areas and- hurt the environment. _ . Asp refuses to resign. Ina. statement, Asp said his deci- sion has been reaffirmed by the Department of Indian af- fairs. . “Our elders are important _- tO us’as a-nation culturally, politically and socially, and using them as a ‘political bat Yu © TAHLTAN NATION chief councillor Jerry Asp holds document presented by elders _ demanding his resignation. A group of band members occupied the Tahitan office in Telegraph Creek last week, saying they were worried about the direction of the leadership and its pro-mining stance on traditional territory. OSCAR DENNIS PHOTO to hit the current leadership “over the head. saddens and hurts me,” he said. 2 . Asp added. he, continues _to enjoy the support of more than 1,500 members. “So far, only 30 members have publicly expressed "a desire for a change in lead- ership.” . ; - The Tahlitan have a long- established reputation as being at the forefront of ab- — original. groups in B.C. who shave been willing to work with mining companies, in return for, jobs and other benefits. Asp: pointed to a policy | paper dating from 1987 de- veloped through consensus | that the first nation is will- ing to work with industry and government in order to achieve long-term social and « economic stability, all while enforeiig a higher environ- mental standard. The result? Asp says the band has seen unemployment drop from 85 © per cent to 6 per cent. On Jan. 8 and 9. the Tahl- tan’ nation held a general assembly in Dease’ Lake to discuss mining exploration company Nova Gold's pro- posed Galore Creek devel- opment, Chief Asp said the na- tion spent $100,000 on costs such as chartered planes to . ensure Tahltan members from as far away as Oltawa were able to attend. Terri Brown and Cassiar Watch representative Jim Bourquin led much of the discussion about the proposed mining project, Asp said. But the pair failed to dis- suade'the membership from: endorsing: the Tahltan lead- alk away lease with $4,558 Sienna and RAV4, 15e/km - It i -man' 540. Cash purchase price is $38,280:***For the 2005 RAV4 4WD, , first payment and refundable security deposit required on signing. ,000 km over 48 months. If exceeded additional charges are 10¢/km-for *For the 2005 Sienna CE, ZA30CP(A) Monthly Lease payments of $359 based on 48 988 down. 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License, insurance, ACCESS GP) TOYOTA A nicer way to buy a car. ership’s ‘intent to continue exploring negotiations for a ‘participation agreement with Nova Gold. © Asp also questions Brown’s concern’ over a™ band deficit of $1.2 million. » Asp said the band has accrued «a CMHC housing rental deficit of that amount from members who haven’t paid their rent, but past band — administrators borrowed from programs and services to cover the deficit. “As a council we have been struggling with ways to - cote) o y address this housing deficit and we were ready to meet with the department of Indi- an affairs officials in Dease Lake when this ‘sit-in’ was * begun.” Dease Lake RCMP Sgt. Duncan Dixon described the ‘protest as peaceful. TERRACE MOTORS © 4912 Highway 16 West, Terrace, BC (250) 635-6558 Preventive _ Herbicide Application ) »=PUBLIC NOTICEs® DEVELOPMENT OF A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN File #102-665-05/09 The Ministry of Transportation Northern Region is developing a Pest Management Plan under the Integrated Pest Management Act. The plan will describe a pest management program using Integrated Pest Management techniques. The purpose of this Pest Management Plan is to ensure effective and safe noxious and invasive weed control within an integrated pest management program on highway rights-of-way and gravel pits in the Northwest District of the Northern Highway Region. This region includes but is not limited to communities such as Burns Lake, Smithers, Houston, Kitwanga, Kitimat, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Dease.Lake and Queen Charlotte Islands. , _ | | . Under this Pest Management Plan a‘combination of selectively applied techniques will .” be used to suppress and control noxious and invasive weeds. 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The proposed Pest Management Plan and map(s) can be viewed at the Ministry of Transportation's Northern Regional office at 213-1011 4th Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3H9 Phone 250-565-6365 or you may request to receive information in regards to this Pest Management Plan frorn the following contact: Dusty Cooper — MoT Consultant 14025 Moberly Road, Winfield, BC V4V 1A6 Phone number 250-766-2677 Fax number 250-766-2677 Persons wishing to contribute information about a proposed treatment site, relevant to the development of the Pest Management Pian, may send copies of the information to’ . the applicant at the address above within 30 days of the publication of this notice. » BRITISH | Ministry of COLUMBIA. | Transportation Your Toyota BC ealers www.toyota.ca