MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Chad Norman Day President, Tahltan Central Government

Tahltan Nation,

The Tahltan Central Government Team (TCG) and I am excited to bring you our seventh annual TCG Industry Review. This has become an important resource for informing Tahltans about the industry-related activities happening in our homeland. Our team is always advocating and pushing to ensure our Tahltan people are not only aware of the activities in our territory, but that we benefit from these economic opportunities in the form of employment, entrepreneurship, education, training and more.

As a Nation, we hold Aboriginal title and rights throughout Tahltan Territory, one of the most mineral-rich regions of the province. While we do not oppose all mining activity, as with this activity comes opportunity, it is important that we consider all the positive, negative, and potential impacts associated with industrial activities. We must ensure these are carried out in accordance with Tahltan laws and policies. The TCG’s engagement framework applies to mineral exploration companies and allows us to facilitate meaningful communications and engagement between those operating in our territory, our communities, and people.

The Tahltan people have been here since time immemorial, and we have fought and bled to protect our homeland. We will not support projects that compromise our wildlife, fish, environment, and culture for future generations. These are central aspects of our identity and keep us connected with our past, present, and future family members.

We will strongly oppose those who fail to operate according to our protocols and take all necessary steps to bring an end to these companies’ activities. With the Province of British Columbia’s passing of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), we expect the Province to respect our authority and decision-making ability when it comes to activities in Tahltan Territory. The TCG remains guided by the 1910 Declaration of the Tahltan Tribe which affirmed our position long before BC adopted DRIPA.

As per usual, the TCG Team and I were very busy attending this year’s AME Roundup in January where we were joined by a delegation of Tahltan Youth. Ten young Tahltans had an opportunity to participate in meetings with Leadership from the TCG, Tahltan Band, and Iskut Band while industry representatives with interests in our territory provided updates on their activities and/or future plans. The value of this experience is tremendous as Youth are made aware of the ways in which these companies are impacting our land, while also witnessing how our Leadership advocate for Tahltan interests and, when necessary, hold companies accountable if our expectations and/or laws are not properly upheld. The Youth were also shown the many opportunities and career paths available them, many of which would allow them to remain in territory. These ranged from jobs related to the mining industry, logging, tourism, government, and positions protecting Tahltan culture and heritage. It is always inspiring watching the upcoming generations show interest in work that will continue to benefit our Nation and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this group.

To conclude, I hope all Tahltans read this Industry Review as an opportunity to better inform themselves on the work occurring in our homeland. As always, I would like to extend my thanks to our allies and partners for positive contributions to the Tahltan economy, for prioritizing our concerns, for collaborating with us to create world-class environmental stewardship, and for respecting our requests and authority as decision-makers.

Mēduh