Taseko Prosperity Mine Not a Done Deal

Chief Alphonse Sees Dim Future For Taseko's Prosperity Mine

BY CHIEF JOE ALPHONSE, 

VANCOUVER SUN OCTOBER 5, 2012

Re: New Prosperity will live up to its name, Sept. 20, and responsible mining begins before opening and ends long after closure, Sept. 27

The Prosperity Mine proposal and its prospects are far from a done deal.

First, the proposal is one which the company itself, and Environment Canada, initially claimed would be worse for the environment than the original plan that was soundly rejected by the federal government in 2010.

Since then, the company has tried to revise that claim. Earlier this summer, the company submitted an environmental-impact statement (EIS) which was rejected by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) and the relevant government ministries. The company received 250 criticisms dealing with major inaccuracies, omissions, failures to address issues outlined for it in February, and poor, often unreadable, drafting.

The above are all matters of verifiable public record.

Mr. Russell Hallbauer, president and CEO of Taseko Mines Ltd., says these issues have now all been addressed, but that claim has been made before and proved wrong. CEAA and other parties will review the new EIS and even if it is accepted as the basis for hearings, it will then have to stand up to public scrutiny. So will its economic claims and feasibility studies. We have analyses raising detailed specific problems with these economic reports, which at the hearings stage will not so easily be dismissed with platitudes.

Signed

Chief Joe Alphonse Tribal chair, Tsilhqot'in National Government

Alexis Creek First Nation Opposed to New Prosperity Mine

Alexis Creek First Nation Press Release:

Tsilhqot’in Leaders and Communities fully opposed to “New” Prosperity Mine

Ervin Charleyboy does not speak for the Tsilhqot’in Nation

Alexis Creek BC (October 2, 2012):  Today the elected Chief and Council of the Alexis Creek First Nation (“Tsi Del Del”), one of the six Tsilhqot’in communities, called on Taseko Mines Ltd. to halt its desperate tactics that are being employed to promote its 3^rd attempt to obtain federal approval for its proposed copper and gold mine at Teztan Biny (Fish Lake). 

In recent interviews and news releases, Taseko Mines and the former Alexis Creek Chief Ervin Charleyboy have emphasized Charleyboy’s support for the “new” Prosperity Mine proposal.  The news releases show that Taseko Mines has close ties with Charleyboy; in fact, in a press release issued by Charleyboy he praises Taseko Mine’s water management plans – plans that had yet to be publicly released or even provided to the Tsilhqot’in Chiefs. 

“With all due respect to the long years of service from Ervin Charleyboy, he is neither a spokesperson nor an elected representative of the Alexis Creek First Nation or the Tsilhqot’in Nation.  The Alexis Creek First Nation is opposed to the mine, and takes exception to Ervin’s attempts to portray young band members working on a fish habitat project for Ervin as a “youth committee” and an endorsement of the company’s mine proposal,” said Alexis Creek Chief Percy Guichon. 

“The Tsilhqot’in people have spoken loud and clear: they do not want a project of this size, with such environmental risk and in an area as important as Fish Lake.  We welcome other opportunities to develop mining projects in less sensitive areas, but the Tsilhqot’in Nation is fully opposed to this project,” said Tsilhqot’in Nation Tribal Chair Chief Joe Alphonse. 

Chief Alphonse: “Ervin is free to speak his mind.  He is entitled to his opinion.    But he should not be confused as a spokesperson for our communities.  He is not.  There is overwhelming opposition in our communities to this mine, and it is shameful that the company is stooping to quoting one individual’s support in its press releases.” 

Chief Guichon:  “The Tsilhqot’in are participating in good faith in the federal. environmental panel review.  We are confident that this new Panel will see through the company’s desperate tactics and its version of the mine already deemed worse for the environment.  What is clear to us from all of this is that Taseko Mines Ltd. lacks a social license to operate, and is desperate enough to seize on individuals acting alone to advance an illusion of community support.”

Media Contacts: Chief Percy Guichon:      250-267-2507 (cell)          250-481-3335 (alternate)             
Chief Joe Alphonse:        250-305-8282 (cell)          250-392-3918 (alternate)