Call by Canadian Indigenous Peoples to Halt MacMillan Bloedel Sale
8/27/99
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Title: OPINION: Halt the Sale of MACMILLAN BLOEDEL
Source: Environment News Service
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 27, 1999
Byline: Tehaliwaskenhas
NANAIMO, British Columbia, Canada, August 27, 1999 (ENS) - The air
inside the Ki-Low-Na friendship centre was politically electric. At
the recent annual general assembly of the United Native Nations (UNN),
members empowered their leaders to "fight the good fight" on behalf of
all their aboriginal brothers and sisters.
One resolution demanded the UNN leadership become more politically
focused. Another called for political activism and full support for
direct action campaigns by indigenous peoples.
Picking up on the theme, another resolution called on aboriginal
people everywhere to demand the governments of British Columbia and
Canada halt the proposed sale of MacMillan Bloedel to Weyerhauser.
MacBlo is Canada's biggest forest eating company, while Weyerhauser
can brag it is the world's largest. In 1998, sales were $10.8 billion.
The UNN's support was given wholeheartedly when delegates heard the
plight of the Lyackson people on Vancouver Island who have lost most
of their traditional lands and resources to MacBlo logging operations.
Millions of dollars have flowed into the company's coffers.
Tom Stephens, MacBlo's CEO who masterminded the sale to Weyerhauser,
earns a million dollars a year, and stands to personally make an
additional ten million dollars if the sale goes through. A drop in the
bucket I guess, considering the sale price of $3.59 billion. The
Lyackson First Nation of course has not been fortunate enough to
receive such benefits from the exploitation of its traditional lands
and resources.
In addition, the Lyackson have been unsuccessful in getting the
forestry giant to accept any responsibility for the desecration of
sacred sites on Valdes Island. Chief Rick Thomas and his community
were devastated when they discovered several years ago that a
MacMillan Bloedel logging road had been bulldozed through the site of
a sacred burial cave. Chief Thomas says Lyackson ancestral remains
were left scattered. The community was shocked by the desecration and
the company's silence over the matter.
MacMillan Bloedel officials deny they did anything wrong, there was no
desecration, and besides the Indian Band said it was okay. However,
MacMillan Bloedel is unable to provide any documentation that there
was any formal negotiation or consultation process with the First
Nation to obtain permission to bulldoze near the sacred sites. Chief
Thomas says they talked a little bit about it, but denies there was
any process for approval. MacMillan Bloedel has not produced any
evidence of any formal written approval from the Lyackson First
Nation.
To make matters worse, as if they could be worse, MacMillan Bloedel's
own research suggested it was not a good place to build the logging
road because of the known sacred and cultural sites of the First
Nation. The road was built. Now MacMillan Bloedel can walk away from
it all through the sale to Weyerhauser. The UNN resolution recognizes
the power of the B.C. and federal governments to intervene. It wants
the sale halted until aboriginal people receive guarantees that their
interests will be addressed.
Before the deal gets the green light, it requires the approval of
MacBlo shareholders and Canadian and American regulatory authorities.
The B.C. public will be able to have a say on the controversial sale
of MacMillan Bloedel to Weyerhauser at a series of meetings, including
five on Vancouver Island. Is this sale in the best interests of
British Columbians? First Nations?
Nine public meetings addressing the sale will be held in September.
Meetings on Vancouver Island will be held in Victoria on September 8,
in Nanaimo on September 9, in Port Alberni September 10, in Port
McNeil September 11 and in Campbell River September 13.
The public may present written or oral presentations or both. The
deadline for written submissions is September 24. at noon. Submissions
should be sent to David Perry, care of the Vancouver Forest Region,
2100 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, B.C. V9T 6E9. For more information call
(250) 751-7037.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 1999