Yāndā | Welcome
A Newsletter for Tahltans who Want the Truth
Yāndā | Welcome
We write to you from within our territory and beyond. From upstream and downstream of the rivers flow.
Yes, we are a “we”, meaning there are many of us in conversation at this time. And we continue to hear that we are not the only ones. That other groups of Tahltans are beginning to form around kitchen tables. Beginning to have hard conversations and ask even harder questions. Meaning, if you are also a concerned Tahltan, you are not alone.
First of all, what is this?
This is an anonymous newsletter from the K’adesibe group. K’adesibe, in our language, means “we are swimming upstream.” We are a Tahltan women’s movement working to center the health of our land and people by uncovering inconvenient truths.
Because we are nearing the end of an ugly cycle of corrupt governance, many people, including ourselves, do not yet feel comfortable speaking our truth and asking our hard questions in public. The pattern of weaponizing fear, introduced to us by colonization, that our own leaders and nation members continue to use against us, is an oppressive tool that has wormed its way into all of our homes.
Yet, we cannot stay silent. We need a place to share the information we are coalescing and the painful questions we think are worth asking. Questions like, who has been bought out? And, what outside interests have infiltrated our leadership, communities, and homes?
So here we are. Let’s dive in and start swimming.
Eskay Creek:
Public Comments
We’ve been made aware of several public comments by the Northern Confluence, SkeenaWild, and Salmon Beyond Borders to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) regarding the Environmental Assessment EA for the expansion of Eskay Creek.
These public comments are live linked below and alongside a few notes on what to look for in each document. We also ask why these independent entities are providing a more comprehensive overview of the project’s actual impacts than our own governing bodies.
Northern Confluence’s EAO Comments
In Section 3.0, Fish and Fish habitat data gaps, they call out the lack of data on fish and fish habitat in the lower Ketchum Creek, as well as data gaps in multi-year fish studies. How come there hasn’t been a fish use assessment of the lower Ketchum Creek, as well as robust multi-year fish studies done prior to asking for consent and approval of the project?
Northern Confluence commissioned the Center for Science in Public Participation to do an independent review of the mine waste and tailings management. Here, pay close attention to Section A., Tom Mackay Storage Facility (TMSF) Liner, and Bedrock permeability & potential seepage. Best practices and responsible mining would involve lining the entire tailings storage facility to prevent tailings seepage into the groundwater. Why is Skeena Resources not doing this? Skeena Resources plans to line only the upstream face of each dam, and the liners are designed to prevent water from entering the dams for structural stability, not to prevent tailing seepage into the groundwater. Not to mention the 160 million tons of potentially acid-generating waste rock…
Skeena Wild’s comments emphasize the significant risks to fish and fish habitat. Pay close attention to Section 2. SWCT Concern: Selenium Bioaccumulation and Modelling Uncertainty. There is serious concern about water quality and the potential bioaccumulation of selenium within the food chain, which could have adverse impacts on fish. The Federal and Provincial Governments are deferring the uncertainty (and risk), requiring unspecified future monitoring and management plans, rather than resolving uncertainties before approval. Is this acceptable to Tahltans?
Salmon Beyond Borders’ EAO Comments
One of the scariest risks they highlight is a report titled “The Risk of Tailings Dam Failure in British Columbia: An Analysis of the British Columbia Existing and Future Tailings Storage Database” by geophysicist Steve Emerman, Ph.D., which highlighted that Eskay Creek’s mine waste dams are among the twelve of greatest concern in B.C. Furthermore, the Canadian Dam Association has classified Eskay Creek’s proposed tailings dams as having a “High” Failure Consequence Category. According to their classification system, “High” Failure Consequence Category is predicted to cause a “Significant loss or deterioration of important fish or wildlife habitat” and the loss of “10 or fewer” human lives.
Graphic sourced from the Technical Memo 106: Eskay Creek Revitalization Project, Updates to EAC Application Related to Project Optimization: Chapter 14, Groundwater Effects Assessment and EAC Application Responses to Comment IDs ENV-012, ENV-067, TCG-414, TCG-415, TCG-416, TCG-418, and ECCC-052. Page 191
As you can see from the graphic here, ground water will flow into two different bodies. Water management will be challenging, to say the least.
Additionally, all of these comments highlight the lack of adequate costing and financial assurance for Reclamation and Closure costs. It is well known that Reclamation and Closure costs and timelines are underestimated.
The upcoming IBA vote(?)
Apparently, the TCG is planning another community tour ahead of the rescheduled IBA vote. While you might hear our executive leadership, the TCG Lands Director, and Tahltan staff publicly bemoan having to coordinate and attend “yet another community session”, please remind them that all of their previous sessions lacked quality and comprehensive information on the actual IMPACTS of this project. Their idea of engagement is giving lazy and “we will push this through regardless.”
Questions to consider asking at future community engagement sessions:
Why are the authors not listed on the Risk Assessment?
Who are they?
Even if they are part of THREAT, we still deserve to know who is authoring on our behalf.
Upcoming Shukak & Howd-a Ghtte Family Rep By-Election
Further TCG shared today that they will run a by-election for the Shukak & Howd-a Ghtte Family Representative. Because we’re dealing with a lack of accountability across the TCG, we need someone brave and who actually cares about the health of our lands and the effects of mining to run in the by-election. Is this you?
Addressing Questions on Our Elections: Protect Tahltan Democracy
A GoFundMe was shared with us to raise funds for legal fees to support Tahltan member Beverly Slater in bringing a case to the BC Supreme Court aimed at upholding “democratic rights, accountability, and the future of Tahltan Nation.” This is important as questions regarding election fraud have begun to circulate. We deserve to know the truth. If you want to find out more about what is going on with our elections, please share and, if you are able, donate to the GoFundMe. You can do this anonymously.
Please note that it is optional to provide a tip to GoFundMe, and the amount is also up to you. Just toggle to the left or right to adjust the amount before checking out.
Calls to Action:
Do you have a tip? Something that needs to be brought to the greater attention of Tahltan members? If so, please email your tip to kadesibe@proton.me, and we will follow up accordingly. Tips could include information related to:
The safety of our lands
The safety of our election process
Poor hiring practices and/or wrongful termination at the TCG
Technical safety concerns for any of the projects on our territory
Concerns related to the Eskay Creek IBA negotiations
Anything else that you are aware of that you feel needs to be brought to light, so that our members have access to the most honest and up-to-date information on pertinent issues.
Please subscribe and share this newsletter with your Tahltan friends and family. We’re moving beyond fear through research, fact-based information sharing and love for our lands and people. Join us.
And remember, Tsesk’iya chō says no.
No to corruption. Yes to the truth.
Let’s maintain our face skin by showing integrity, honesty, and responsibility.
Signed,
The ancestors are watching
Meduh
Meduh 🥰💗💖