MiningWatch Canada presented our findings to the Kemess North Mine Environmental Assessment Joint Review Panel on November 22, 2006, concluding that the Panel "has no choice but to find that the Kemess North Mine project poses serious environmental effects which cannot be mitigated and that are not justified under the circumstances."
On November 21, 2006, the Panel had requested that the Gitxsan House of Nii Kyap file a brief written summary of their request of the previous day that the hearing be suspended. The PDF below outlines the Gitxsan request and reasons in support of that request. An oral hearing is scheduled to take place in Victoria on November 29, 2006.
The Gitxsan are asking that the Panel:
- suspend the hearing until:
- The federal and provincial agencies have consulted with the Gitxsan and other affected First Nations on the preliminary determinations that are being presented in the Environmental Impact Assessment Review ("EIA Review").
- The Gitxsan are provided with adequate funding and time to engage expertise to assist the Gitxsan in such consultations and the preparation of their submissions to the government agencies and the Panel on the issues being reviewed in the EIA Review.
- ask the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia to extend the timeline for the hearing and for filing the Panel's Report to Ministers to accommodate the suspension of the hearing in (a).