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$1.30 Inc. GST Vol. 37 No. 18
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Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Supreme Court landmark ruling Jesse Cole
Mayor Gerry Thiessen and MLA John Rustad present a cheque for $41,000 towards the renovations of Vanderhoof Museum and historic village. Submitted Photo
Vanderhoof Museum gets overhaul Vanderhoof Museum receives $41,000 towards renovations Jesse Cole Omineca Express The Vanderhoof Heritage Museum and Historic Village has received a substantial amount of funding for some well deserved renovations and improvements. Funding, around $41,000, for the proj-
ect comes from the Job Creation Partnership. The Job Creation Partnership is a branch of British Columbia’s Community and Employer Partnerships which aim to increase employability and job creation through British Columbia. Renovations are to be completed by a
group of four workers who will gain realworld job experience and skill building. Improvements to the buildings will include wheelchair accessible ramps to the OK Cafe, Reimer residence and Royal Bank building in the historic village. New paint, windows and doors will also
be installed as well as a limestone pathway connecting the village buildings and museum. Vanderhoof mayor Gerry Theissen said of the renovations “The Job Creation Partnership is a welcome program for the District of Vanderhoof. There are many local initiatives in
our community which have operated on purely volunteer help and this project will help us, as a community, to build capacity and give the participants some great work experience.” The project is slated to take place over a 22week period this summer.
Omineca Express June 26 marked a historic day in Aboriginal-Canadian relations after a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of Canada was delivered that upheld the rights of indigenous communites to ownership of traditional territory. The decision comes in a case that is nearly 20 years old in which the Tsilhqot’in First Nation laid claim to some 1, 700 km of land in the Nemiah Valley. The decision was not just cause for the people of Tsilhqot’in to celebrate but rather set precedent for all First Nations communities in British Columbia. The news was welcomed news for the Nak’azdli First Nation of the Fort St. James area. The Nak’azdli have been involved in an on-going struggle against the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline which would be built through their traditional territory. The Supreme Court decision means that aboriginal communties like the Nak’azdli First Nation, have the legal right to refuse consent to any development or encroachment on their traditional territory. Nak’azdli members took to the streets with drums and song in response to the landmark announcement. Nak’azdli chief Fred Sam hopes this will be the end of the pipeline saying “We really don’t want it going through our territory. We haven’t given our consent.” This is not only a victory for First Nations but for all British Columbians who oppose the pipeline, as this decision will create a considerable roadblock for companies like Enbridge to navigate around. Sam said he believes that the federal government needs to listen not only to First Nations communities, but also to all British Columbians - an overwhelming number of which are opposed to the pipeline. Sam insists that Nak’azdli are not against development or business in their lands, but rather are for environmentally sound, responsible business. “We’re a forward thinking community,” he said. “We need fair deals and the environment needs to be a priority. We need to look at these partnerships in greater depth.” Sam said the decision is like seeing the light at the end of a tunnel and that he hopes the government sees it too, “Hopefully they see it’s important to work with us.”