鈥淚 am tired of managing poverty.鈥�
The words of Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam were quoted by both Aboriginal Relations Minister John Rustad and Premier Christy Clark at their second annual meeting with aboriginal leaders around the province.
In her closing remarks, Clark repeated her aim to continue economic development and resource revenue sharing that have dominated the government鈥檚 approach in recent years.
鈥淟et鈥檚 eliminate poverty in First Nations communities,鈥� she said, adding 鈥渢he only way we can fight poverty is to grow the economy.鈥�
Not surprisingly, Clark鈥檚 chosen example was the potential of liquefied natural gas development for the Haisla Nation near Kitimat.
That and similar proposals require new gas pipelines. And as is customary in B.C., what people most often hear about are threats and wild claims regarding protests such as the Unist鈥檕t鈥檈n camp near Smithers, set up to block a gas pipeline.
There was a round of this in late August, after Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the militant Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs claimed hundreds of RCMP officers were about to descend on the camp. This echoed previous false claims made by self-styled anarchists such as Victoria鈥檚 Zoe Blunt, who has been organizing outside support for the camp for the last couple of years.
(Blogger Greg Renouf has tracked the , and followed Blunt's for years.)
Media jumped at the prospect of another Gustafson Lake-style confrontation. This prompted an unusual statement from Cpl. Janelle Shoihet of the North District RCMP.
鈥淭o clarify, the B.C. RCMP has no intention of 鈥榯aking down the camp鈥� set up by the Unist鈥檕t鈥檈n,鈥� she said, emphasizing that police are not taking sides or acting as security for pipeline exploration crews being harassed by protesters, who have token support from a couple of dissident members of a Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n clan.
Four elected chiefs of the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n issued their own statement, to correct media coverage that represents the Unist鈥檕t鈥檈n as speaking for their communities.
鈥淥ur Nations support responsible resource development as a way to bring First Nations out of poverty and bring opportunities for our young people,鈥� said 亚洲天堂 Lake Band Chief Dan George.
Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n First Nation Chief Karen Ogen said job and benefit agreements for the Coastal GasLink pipeline were entered into after careful consideration, and she objected to protests from outsiders, some from outside the country.
鈥淪ustainability means standing on our own two feet, providing our young people with good paying jobs, and reducing the 40 to 60 per cent unemployment we now experience,鈥� Ogen said.
Haisla Nation Chief Councillor Ellis Ross has no time for crude oil projects, but he has been working towards gas-related development as long as anyone.
Ross in support of the elected Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n chiefs in their efforts to resolve the dispute with Unist鈥檕t鈥檈n members.
鈥淥pposition is the easiest job in the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat is difficult is finding an answer when a First Nations mother has concerns about her child鈥檚 future.
鈥淧oliticians are quick to shout out sound bites and get into camera shots, but where are the cameras when another First Nations member takes their own life or when they pass away from highway/alcohol related deaths?鈥�
Ross noted that recent court decisions have put B.C. aboriginal leaders in the best position they have ever had, with governments and development project proponents coming to them 鈥渨ith inclusion in mind鈥� after decades of resource development that has passed them by.
You wouldn鈥檛 know it most days, but First Nations along both the Coastal GasLink and Pacific Trails gas pipelines .
More aboriginal leaders are getting tired of managing poverty, and misguided protesters.
Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Twitter:
