By Arthur Williams
Prince George Free Press
Aug 24 2007
Nadleh Whut’en Indian Band Chief Martin Louie didn’t increase his, or his constituents’, credibility by threatening to shut down legitimate forest licencees in their traditional territory earlier this week.
On October, 2005 the Fort Fraser band signed a non-replaceable forest licence agreement with the B.C. Ministry of Forests and Range to harvest 750,000 cubic metres over five years. However, because the stumpage rate is set at the full appraised value, it is $8 to $10 per cubic metre more expensive than competing market-value wood auctioned by B.C. Timber Sales.
See the story, “Band has beef over timber license deal,” in Wednesday’s Free Press for more details.
The Nadleh Whut’en did get a bad deal, in the current economic climate of the forest industry their wood is essentially unharvestable.
However, it was the deal they signed on for. If they had concerns about the deal, they should have made them known before they signed it – not now nearly two years later.
But even more concerning is the threat to effectively hold other forest licensees hostage until their issues are resolved.
According to Louie, three million cubic metres of wood were harvested from their traditional territories last year, which generated $88 million in stumpage fees.
Shutting down B.C. Timber Sales licences in the region wouldn’t hurt the provincial government to any significant degree. The people would suffer are the forestry contractors, log haulers, mill workers and forestry companies whose livelihoods depend on that wood.
However, Louie apparently doesn’t care if those people go without so he can make his political point. Even if the Nadleh Whut’en agreement was made workable, it would only create 15-20 jobs – a tiny fraction of the number of jobs a blockade would jeopardize.
It may be Nadleh Whut’en traditional territory, but it is also provincial Crown land which belongs to all the people of British Columbia. The Nadleh Whut’en have no right to deny licensed harvesters from accessing a public resource.
Louie’s actions clearly illustrate the double standard which exists in Canada.
A First Nation’s chief is no more or less than a local elected official, similar to a mayor.
If Mayor Colin Kinsley threatened to shut down Highway 16 until the provincial and federal governments funded the Cameron Street Bridge it would be a scandal. For non-aboriginal people, that type of behaviour is completely unacceptable.
However, for an elected First Nations chief it is not only acceptable, it isn’t even front-page news anymore. After all, it’s just yet another illegal First Nations blockade.
Unfortunately this type of bullying, thuggish behaviour seems to get results.
It’s time for the rest of Canada to stop allowing ourselves to be extorted and respond with the full force of the law.
The only way to build peaceful, prosperous relationships between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians is when both sides negotiate with respect and goodwill, not guerrilla tactics.