Chief Roland Wilson – Site C

Victoria, BC – Though construction on British Columbia’s W.A.C. Bennet dam began 54 years ago, fish are still so contaminated with mercury they are unfit for human consumption. Chief Roland Willson, of West Moberly First Nation, said BC started issuing health advisories after the dam was built. On May 11, 2015, he brought 200 pounds of contaminated bull trout to the legislature lawn for a press conference calling on the B.C. government to reverse its decision to approve the controversial $9 billion Site C dam. Willson said poisoning fish is a violation of Treaty #8.

”One of the treaty promises talks about no forced interference (with First Nations fishing) and having mercury in the fish is pretty forced,” he said.

Chiefs Willson said Premier Christy Clark, “Can have her mercury-laden fish back. Let her figure out what to do with them, because we can’t.”

This is the latest skirmish in the First Nations fight to defend their rights, granted under Treaty #8, from the Provincial and Federal Governments.

 

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