Ervin Charleyboy: "New Prosperity" for the Chilcotin people

Yesterday - former Alexis Creek Band Chief and TNG Tribal Chair Ervin Charleyboy wrote an op-ed (Opinion Editorial) in the Vancouver Sun on his view of the New Prosperity project, as proposed by Taseko Mines

Find the op-ed below:

A new way forward for First Nations people in the Chilcotin and for the future of our grandchildren can be found in training opportunities and jobs. We need something more than what we have right now, something more than nothing.

That is why I support the New Prosperity mine project.

For 20 years, I was both chief in my community of Tsi Del Del (Alexis Creek) and tribal chair of the Tsilhqot’in National Government. I’ve been talking to different people from each community out in the Chilcotin, in the Cariboo region and there’s nothing here to offer our people. They want jobs. They want to be able to support their families and have a future in the area.

At first, I took a strong stance against the original proposed project due to environmental and cultural concerns, and we stopped the project. Taseko went back to the drawing board and came up with a new plan. That plan, New Prosperity, no longer harms Teztan Biny (Fish Lake). Taseko listened and provided a new option so that our traditional lands can continue to sustain our people for generations.

So now I support what Taseko Mines is planning to do. It is a better plan and it will provide jobs and a future for our people. That’s what I’m looking at this mine for — a future for our younger generation.

This mine is going to create a lot of jobs, which our people don’t have right now. The logging industry is not going to be there much longer. In five or 10 years, there’ll be no logging left and what then for our young people?

I ask our First Nations members outright: What do you want to see for your future regarding this mine? With New Prosperity there’s going to be a lot of employment opportunities and these young people need to be trained. And I know that there is support in the community for this project. I encourage those who support the project to speak out. Don’t be afraid to speak up and let your leaders know. If you stand up for what you believe in it will go a long ways.

If you look at Taseko’s Gibraltar mine, there are many First Nations people working there and they’re happy because they’re making good money and supporting their families. New Prosperity will offer the same kinds of opportunities.

I say to our people, having the mine here close to home doesn’t mean losing our culture or disrespecting our traditions. Having the chance to work near where we live helps keep our young people from moving away in search of employment and gives us the potential to strengthen our communities. Stronger communities mean a greater ability to maintain important cultural practice and tradition. On the other hand, communities that are shrinking and losing members because there is little or nothing to do weakens us all.

I look at what the Gibraltar mine has done for Williams Lake and surrounding communities and see opportunities for work, for training and for business. I see New Prosperity doing the same for our communities and I think we should give it a try.

New economic opportunity and preserving our traditions can go hand in hand. We can have both.