Whether it is Stz’uminus building a commercial development along the highway, Tsleil-Waututh’s award-winning, high-end housing or Klahoose forest activities, the goal is to create cash – own source revenue – for nations and job opportunities for members.
But Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council nations are finding that the road to creating businesses and making partnerships is not always smooth. As the New Year approaches, nations are finding themselves either mired in expensive court cases or coming up against local opposition to their plans to generate wealth.
A good case in point is evident near Nanoose Bay where Snaw’Naw’As Forest Services was forced to get a court injunction to keep protesters out of an active logging area. (See story here.)
Another good example of potential conflicts is taking place at Tsawwassen. There has been some public (and a lot more private) discussion by neighbours of the post-treaty nation as they watch huge housing, retail and industrial developments taking place. (See story on here.)
Then there is Halalt. That nation will again be going to the BC Supreme Court early next year to defend last summer’s landmark decision. The court ruled that Halalt had a strong case for aboriginal title regarding its traditional territory on the Chemainus River. The judge also said that BC failed to properly consult and accommodate Halalt when it approved municipal drinking water wells built adjacent to the reserve on the Chemainus River.
And when the District of North Cowichan went to the Court of Appeal in October to get the okay for pumping to resume in the meantime, the answer was ‘No’. The court ruled that Halalt’s rights outweigh any inconvenience caused by Chemainus residents being occasionally advised to boil water from the current surface supply.
Halalt draws its own drinking water from the same aquifer and uses that water for its growing (pardon the pun) greenhouse and vegetable gardens. Other future developments could also hinge on the final court ruling.
Finally, at Sliammon nation economic development, natural resources and revenue will play a key role over the next six months as community members consider how they will case their ballots in the ratification vote next June for the Tla’amin treaty. (See story here.)
While 2011 was not without its challenges for NmTC nations, 2012 could be a groundbreaker in many ways.
