However - in yesterday's Williams Lake Tribune, former Tribune reporter Sage Birchwater calls out Cook as a 'hypocrite' given she spoke highly of aboriginal reconciliation in May of this year but yet ignores the fact that if 'New Prosperity' is approved - she is condoning the colonial attitude of conquering territory of the TNG people and for which - many governments have apologized to aboriginal peoples
Read below:
On May 17, 2013 - the City of Williams Lake unveiled two monuments of reconciliation apologizing to First Nations for forcibly taking generations of aboriginal students from their homes and placing them in residential schools
(Williams Lake) Mayor Kerry Cook took a leading role in the apology ceremony. She said the monuments are a reminder how to move forward. She she she wants a City where all people feel welcome and are respected
Mayor Cook lauds the economic benefits of New Prosperity mine, yet she refuses to blow the whistle on a hostile intrusion into Xeni Gwet'in territory
Is she proposing we apologize to the Xeni Gwet'in and Tsilhqot'in First Nations in 30 years after plunking a mine down in their midst, against their wishes?
Mayor Cook plays down First Nations opposition to the mine saying she needs to acknowledge that some of her First Nations neighbours are against it. By not taking a firm moral stand on how Taseko Mines Ltd conducts its' business with First Nations - Mayor Cook is complicit with invading Xeni Gwet'in territory and pushing them aside
She (Cook) is condoning the colonial attitude of conquering and disrespecting the people who live there.
What is Mayor Cook prepared to do to ensure that history does not repeat itself and that cultural genocide, environmental racism, and human rights violations do not occur on her watch?
Sage Birchwater
Williams Lake
Meanwhile - in yesterday's Vancouver Sun - Craig Orr of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society from Coquitlam says "Environment must trump economy". Read his letter about Mayor Kerry Cook below:
The Vancouver Sun has given considerable coverage recently to the supposed economic benefits of the proposed New Prosperity gold-copper mine, but scant attention to what’s currently being revealed at the federal review about the likely environmental and social impacts.
For that matter, I didn’t see (Williams Lake) Mayor Kerry Cook at this week’s hearings on aquatic impacts. Too bad. Had she been there she probably would not have been quite so assured about touting the project for “innovation and environmental stewardship.”
Geochemists, fisheries biologists and other scientists pointed out likely many effects should the mine proceed. The audience, minus the mayor, heard extensive testimony predicting a host of probable impacts, to fish, aquatic communities, water quality, water circulation, grizzly bears and the over-all physical, social and ecological health of the region. Scientists criticized inadequate industry plans to “mitigate” such impacts. One lake biologist predicted the death of Fish Lake within 10 years, should the mine proceed.
The promise of jobs will always make it easier to gloss over the environmental and social costs certain to be associated with such projects. But British Columbians deserve more from politicians. As a start, how about acknowledging human well-being also strongly depends on a healthy environment?
No comments:
Post a Comment