Late Thursday evening - the Federal Review Panel for the New Prosperity mine, west of Williams Lake, handed down its' conclusions/recommendations to the Federal Environment Minister (Hon. Leona Aglukkaq). You can read the full report here
Various parties have taken to the media to express their own positions, both positive and negative of the Panel's report
You can read from Global BC here and watch the video below:
As you can see in the video - Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook says that she is still hopeful that the project can move forward, notwithstanding the Panel's views on New Prosperity
I would suggest that you may very well see local government officials attempting to fly to Ottawa to counter the Panel report's message -- New Prosperity has too many adverse environmental impacts
However - Ottawa may very well still approve the project, given their pro-resource development stance, especially on projects like Northern Gateway. However, one aspect that is lurking about and may 'humble' Ottawa into thinking twice of approving this project is the 'William' court case. This, of course, is in reference to Xeni Gwet'in Chief (and Cariboo RD Area J Director) Roger William's court case from some 20 years ago which is set to be heard in the Supreme Court of Canada on Nov 7th. If the Supreme Court rules in Chief William's favour - this project like other resource development projects will be impacted by the Supreme Court's ruling
For myself - I will be recommending to my Area Director (Deb Bischoff) - that any attempt by the Cariboo Regional District Board to fly to Ottawa to lobby in favour of New Prosperity (between now - March 2014), now that the Panel has ruled on the project should be rejected, given how divisive opinion on this project is
If local government officials feel strongly about this project moving forward - they should use their own money and not taxpayers money on a project that a great deal of them do not support
-- SBF
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