Tsimshian Nations take issue with lack of consultation on Lelu Island Declaration

Metlakatla Chief Harold Leighton
was among Five Tsimshian 
leaders to express concerns with 
a weekend declaration 
from the Salmon Summit

As the signing of this weekend's Salmon Nation Summit Lelu Island Declaration continues to gain notice across the province, those that aren't in support of the document are beginning to make their views known.

One significant collection of voices that has been heard today, comes the Five Chiefs of the Tsimshian Nations, representing Gitxaala, Kitsumkalum, Kitselas, Gitga'at and Metlakatla.

The Five Chiefs issued a statement on Monday afternoon,  expressing their concerns over the events from Friday and Saturday and rejecting the declaration from those that had assembled for the weekend Summit in Prince Rupert.

As part of their statement, the five Tsimshian leaders observed as to the lack of a mandate from those at the summit and an absence of any consultation on matters that involve their traditional territory.

The signatories to the declaration did not include or represent any of the five Tsimshian elected chiefs nor was there any mandate from their elected or hereditary chiefs to support the declaration. 

Tsimshian chiefs reject the declaration calling for "permanent protection" of their traditional territories. The Chiefs view the declaration as a political action that is an attack on the rights and title interest of Tsimshian Nations.

The Lelu Island Declaration
was signed this weekend in
Prince Rupert

Of particular note from the Tsimshian media release of today, is their expressed disappointment at the signing of the Lelu Island Declaration by Northwest MLA's Jennifer Rice, Robin Austin and Doug Donaldson, all well as MP Nathan Cullen, all of whom spoke out in favour of the declaration over the weekend.

The Chiefs are extremely disappointed that the local Member of Parliament and provincial NDP MLAs would choose to sign and comment on a project without any prior consultation or involvement with Tsimshian communities.

The Tsimshian Nations also noted that the Salmon Nation Summit did not present complete information regarding the proposed project. With the Tsimshian leaders highlighting the work that has been conducted by the Tsimshian Environmental Stewardship Authority, as part of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency process for the Pacific NorthWest LNG project.

The Tsimshian Environmental Stewardship Authority is currently in the process of concluding its work on the science related to those studies and will be reporting their findings to the their communities in the coming weeks.

You can review the full statement from the Chiefs of the Five Tsimshian nations here.

More background related to the proposed LNG development for Lelu Island can be found here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review