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MARCH 26, 2014
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Local resident Larry Badke, a member of Say Yes to New Prosperity, helped organize a rally in 100 Mile House on March 22 in support of the controversial mine project proposed by Taseko Mines Ltd. in the British Columbia Interior. The rally was held in front of a building where members of Friends of Fish Lake, whose members opposed the project, were gathered for a fundraising dinner.
'Friends' march plans disrupted Both sides talk 'future generations' in New Prosperity mine debate
Gaven Crites Free Press
Larry Badke held a sign with the word “ECO-TARDS” on it, and says he felt “happy” Friends of Fish Lake cancelled its march around the 100 Mile Marsh in celebration of the United Nations’ World Water Day. Badke, along with Jim Kolisnyk, organized a rally on March 22 for supporters of the proposed New Prosperity Gold-Copper Project, a billion-dollar mine proposed by Taseko Mines Ltd. in the British Columbia Interior, which was turned down by the federal government on environmental grounds for the second time in February. A group of about 40 people stood in the parking lot between 3 and 3:30 p.m. near the 100 Mile Curling Club,
where Friends of Fish Lake, whose few minutes. members oppose the mine, were “This is basically to say we’ve had hosting a fundraising dinner, and enough. We’ve had enough of envicalled off plans to march ronmentalists. They have a beforehand because of the say – everybody should – opposing rally. but we have to stop fighting Supporters of the mine against each other. project wore white hats “We have to get along with that read, “Say Yes to New the natives. There are a lot Prosperity” and buttons of native people that agree with “Committed to the with this mine. Taseko supCariboo” on their chests. ports natives, and they hire MARILYN Children held signs with natives.” BAPTISTE messages like “WE NEED Around that same time, JOBS!” and “SAVE OUR TOWN.” Friends of Fish Lake supporters and A few RCMP officers stood near- First Nations guests from some of by. the six Tsilhqot’in communities, “We’re hoping to do another one on whose traditional territory the or two of these as time goes on,” controversial mine project is being Badke says. “The Taseko situation proposed, started gathering inside has not ended.” the 100 Mile Curling Club. Kolisnyk spoke to the group for a Among the guests was Marilyn
Baptiste, a Xeni Gwet’in counsellor and former chief. Her community is located about 200 kilometres west of Williams Lake, near Fish Lake, which an independent federal review panel found would be irreparably damaged by the open pit mine. (A federal judicial review is currently underway as Taseko Mines Ltd. is challenging the findings of the review panel’s assessment. The mining company believes the panel “made a fundamental error when determining expected seepage rates from the tailing storage facility.”) “Unfortunate” is what Baptiste calls the decision by Badke and Kolisnyk to hold a rally around the same time and same location where Friends of Fish Lake were set to gather. Continued on 4