Members of the Tsilhqot’in Nation and their supporters gathered in Vancouver last week to demonstrate their opposition to the destruction of Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) if the proposed Prosperity mine is built.

The demonstration, which took place at 6 p.m. Wednesday night, was to happen during a reception held by the Mining Association of B.C.

The reception, however, was cancelled, but the demonstration continued, with about 50 people spreading their message of opposition.

Loretta Williams, mining co-ordinator with the Tsilhqot’in National Government, says three chiefs from the Tsilhqot’in Nation attended, including Xeni Gwet’in Chief Marilyn Baptiste, Yunesit’in Chief Ivor Myers, and Tsi Del Del Chief Ervin Charleyboy, as well as Tsilhqot’in Nation members who are attending school in the Lower Mainland. Members from the Council of Canadians also showed their support for the demonstration, Williams says.

Williams says each chief spoke at the demonstration, which Williams says was peaceful.

“The basic message that came out of that was they are opposed (to the project), and they weren’t happy with the consultation at this point,” Williams says, adding that the demonstration was to also get the message out that they are opposed to the project as it stands now and aren’t happy with the lack of First Nations consultation involved.

The destruction of Fish Lake and the surrounding area “goes against every traditional law and value that has been instilled in us since time immemorial,” Williams said in a press release from the TNG that was sent prior to the demonstration. “It is our responsibility to protect the fish, the wildlife, the water, and the air for future generations.”

The TNG says that the Tsilhqot’in Nation has filed a writ in B.C. Supreme Court claiming its aboriginal right to fish at Fish Lake.

The release says that if the writ is successful, it would prevent Taseko from developing the project.

Brian Battison, Taseko Mines Ltd.’s vide president of corporate affairs, says no one is challenging the aboriginal right to fish, but says the writ seeking the aboriginal right to fish in Fish Lake specifically likely wouldn’t make it to court.

“It would be a significant, precedent-setting finding if that case were to actually go into court and go through the court process,” Battison says, explaining that anytime anyone wanted to develop anywhere, a development would have to look at whether it would infringe on aboriginal rights. For development already done, there would likely need to be compensation provided to First Nations.

“There isn’t much chance that that lawsuit is going to go anywhere,” he said. “It would be a long and expensive process for them and for everybody. It’s unlikely it’s going to proceed.”

Williams says numerous people asked her at the demonstration what the First Nations want to accomplish.

“Right now, as it stands, we are with limited funds, and trying to screen the work that Taseko is doing, and we don’t have enough capacity to do that,” Williams says, adding that the TNG is doing its best to keep up with deadlines, including providing information on First Nations’ traditional and current use of the area.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency had awarded the TNG $300,000 to participate in the Prosperity Mine review, but Williams says most of that money has already been spent.

“That is pretty well spent on reviewing the EIS (environmental impact statement),” Williams says, noting that Taseko’s EIS is nine volumes and about 3,000 pages. “And because it’s in the rights and title case area, we needed to have legal support to make sure it wasn’t affecting our title and rights in the area.”

Williams says there are about 20 lakes across the country that face the same fate as Fish Lake.

“Mining at lakes, it’s happening all across Canada,” Williams says.

Battison says he assumes the purpose of the protest was to attract media attention and to elevate the TNG’s concerns to the broader public.

“One of the great things about a democracy is that everybody has the ability to do that, to protest and to voice their opinions,” Battison says, noting that the best place to bring foreward issues and concerns is in the environmental assessment process.