De Jong desperately trying to head off trouble between natives and developer Vaughn Palmer Vancouver Sun
Friday, November 17, 2006 VICTORIA - The B.C. Liberals' new relationship with first nations faces its first major test today, and from an unexpected quarter. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Mike de Jong spent much of Thursday afternoon trying to defuse an emerging confrontation between natives and a developer at a resort near the provincial capital. He's asked the parties to meet again today, hoping they can back away from a showdown that threatened to escalate into a full-scale native blockade. "Disputes are inevitable," de Jong told reporters. "The test of the new relationship is how we manage to try to resolve these inevitable disputes." But the minister's cooling tone couldn't disguise his anxiety about the trouble at Bear Mountain, in the hills west of Victoria. Bear Mountain is the site of one of the richest, most impressive golfing-residential-and-hotel resorts in B.C. Since spring it has also become known for an emerging dispute with the Songhees, the native band whose traditional territory includes a chunk of the capital including the Inner Harbour and the site of the provincial legislature. The Songhees complain that the burgeoning resort is encroaching on territory of cultural significance to them. They've marked a sacred cave as well as possible burial sites. They've enlisted other neighbouring bands and threatened to blockade the resort if their concerns aren't addressed. The response from Bear Mountain CEO Len Barrie was distinctive, to say the least. "You know if we want to blow up a cave and put up a hotel, we will," Barrie told the Victoria Times Colonist in May. "I bought the property, I own it, and we have the mining rights, so what?" The opening sentence of the follow-up editorial in the Times Colonist said it all: "If the developers of Bear Mountain are looking to create a confrontation with first nations, they are going about it the right way." Fortunately, cooler heads saw a way out. A process was put in place to provide for archeological assessment of the site, monitored by the natives. The story retreated from the news, until this week. "Natives' sacred cave destroyed," said Thursday's headline. "Developers at Bear Mountain committing cultural genocide, aboriginal leaders charge." Not so, insisted Bear Mountain. The cave was covered up to protect it. Other changes were proceeding under the scrutiny of the archeologist. But by midday the thing was spiralling out of control. Natives, arriving to inspect the site with reporters and cameras in tow, were turned back by security guards. Project developer Les Bjola presided over a media event of his own, lining up workers in front of the cameras, and claiming, "These are the people that are going to be out of work." Unknown to the developer, key first nations leaders -- Judith Sayers of the First Nations' Summit, Shawn Atleo of the Assembly of First Nations, Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs -- were in the capital on another matter. After a plea by the Songhees, they diverted to Bear Mountain and joined in the open-air media event. Phillip minced no words, as is his style. The issue was protection of culture, of the "sacred," he declared. As it was at Oka and Ipperwash, he added, naming two of the most poisonous showdowns over native lands in Canadian history. It fell to a grim-faced minister de Jong to try to communicate the gravity of the situation to reporters, without inflaming it. The key, he said, was "respect." Did he deplore the lack of respect on the part of the developer? De Jong passed on the question, saying only "surely it will be possible amongst those of good will to settle on a manner in which the work can be done that is satisfactory to all." Privately, the Liberals must be seething. They've invested a huge amount of effort and political capital in the new relationship. Premier Gordon Campbell -- who is in China this week -- has put his own credibility and reputation on the line. Earlier this year, at Stewart Phillip's invitation, he addressed the annual meeting of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. Phillip reciprocated with an address to the annual convention of the B.C. Liberal party. He referred to the premier in tones that have rarely been invoked by anyone in this province, never mind a native leader. Quote: "Premier Campbell has proven himself to be an exceptional extraordinary visionary leader . . . I've seen an incredible change in this individual, in this man, over the last few years, that really speaks well for the future." That was two weeks ago. Thursday, he was at Bear Mountain warning that, if the situation continues, B.C. could have another Oka, another Ipperwash, on its hands. As for the developer, he may think that, as a businessman, whatever he says and does, the provincial government will be on his side. It won't be. [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Native News North List info{all lists}: http://nativenewsonline.org/natnews.htm Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NatNews-north/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NatNews-north/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/