Chief Sharleen Gale Ft Nelson First Nation Expels BC Government officials from First Nation’s Summit

Update: Thursday April 17th, 2014 10AM

Environment Minister Mary Polak has rescinded the environmental assessment exemption for prospective sweet natural gas processing plants and all-season ski resorts only a day after it was announced.
In a written statement, Polak acknowledges First Nations were not adequately consulted about the proposed change prior to her Tuesday announcement.
The order would have exempted prospective year-round ski resorts and new sweet natural gas plants in B.C. from the Environmental Assessment process.
Polak said the decision was made in order to eliminate the duplication created by a similar environmental assessment process within the Ministry of Forests and Lands.

Original Fort Nelson News Post Wednesday April 16th 2014

Video:
YouTube Video here of the expulsion of BC government officials

Fort Nelson First Nation Chief Sharleen Gale being interviewed by Rob Bartlett of Canada’s First Nations’ Radio Network on Wednesday morning after the dramatic expulsion of BC Government officials from the First Nation’s Summit in Fort Nelson .
Carrying an eagle feather and accompanied by drummers on stage, Gale made a powerful statement on behalf of her people. “We are a strong, proud, self-sufficient people. If the Fort Nelson First Nation isn’t included in the decisions there is no LNG. If we are left with nothing, you are left with nothing.”
LATER Chief Gale read the declaration that states: “In the territory of the Fort Nelson First Nation, industry, government and BC First Nations leadership gathered at “ground zero” of BC’s LNG Strategy. We gathered to see the impacts of the shale gas industry first hand and to discuss a path forward for governing our territories and transforming how the oil and gas industry does business in our lands.
“On April 11, 2014, without notice and without consultation, the Province of BC amended the reviewable projects regulations exempting “sweet gas plants” from the BC Environmental Assessment process. This means that many of the largest industrial projects in Canada will no longer be subject to environmental review or scrutiny.
“As a Nation we are deeply insulted by this act.
“Our Chief and Council met with Minister Rustad on Sunday and Monday for several hours. We welcomed him into our territory and we talked freely and openly about how our Nation can work with government. We talked about how we can be an active and equal partner in BC’s shale gas-LNG opportunity. We told him that we need to be involved in the decision making.
“Yesterday we watched Ministers Coleman and Rustad on a video claim that BC wants to work with us. They said that they know that BC’s LNG Strategy cannot be realized without First Nations.
“At no point did these Ministers mention this monumental decision had been made.
“At a time when BC has said it wants to “re-set” the relationship with First Nations as part of the LNG Strategy, the province has acted in bad faith and violated the honour of the Crown.
“This is not acceptable.
“We will have a say in what happens in our territory.
“We the Fort Nelson First Nation, on behalf of our ancestors, our elders, our youth and those yet to come are putting the BC government and the oil and gas industry on notice that:
“BC’s LNG Strategy is on hold. No shale gas development will proceed in FNFN territory until our nation and our treaty is respected and our concerns about our land and our waters are addressed.
“We have responsibilities that we have inherited from our ancestors that are enshrined in our Treaty to protect our people and our lands for the benefit of our community, now and into the future.
“All agreements with the Province are now under review and we are looking all options regarding our relationship with the province and industry.
“We are asking all nations to support us in this stand.
“We the undersigned Nations support the Fort Nelson First Nation in taking this stand.”
First Nation members present lined up to signthe declaration.