The Tsilhqot’in National Government has asked for confidentiality around some of the information it plans to present to Taseko Mines and the federal panel reviewing the project concerning traditional use of the land around the proposed Prosperity mine site.

“In TNG’s experience, the public disclosure of traditional hunting, trapping, fishing and gathering areas leads to increased use by non-Tsilhqot’in peoples, increased competition for resources, and further pressures against Tsilhqot’in use of traditional lands,” Jay Nelson of Woodward & Company wrote to the review panel Nov. 6 on behalf of the TNG. The letter was posted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s website Monday.

On Oct. 6, the panel set a deadline of Nov. 17 for Tsilhqot’in National Government, the Williams Lake Indian Band, the Esketemc First Nation, and the Canoe Creek First Nation to submit traditional use information to Taseko and to the panel.

“TNG’s opposition to the proposed project (so long as it requires the destruction of Teztan Biny (Fish Lake) and surrounding lands and waters) has generated an often ugly, hostile and even racist backlash in a small but unfortunate minority of the non-First Nations population,” Nelson writes. “...This situation raises serious concerns for the safety and welfare of Tsilhqot’in members generally, and especially for those using the area,” Nelson writes.

The confidential information consists of maps depicting current use and cultural heritage information derived from interviews with Tsilhqot’in members during a traditional use study conducted from 1997 to 2001.

The maps depict identified hunting and fishing areas, plant gathering areas, occupation sites, other traditional use of resources, and cultural heritage places, such as burial or cremation sites, sacred sites, and rock paintings.

The TNG asks that the information be made available only to the panel and specified representatives of Taseko Mines, providing they agree to keep it confidential.

The maps would be accompanied by a report, Nelson writes, and does not anticipate asking for confidentiality for it.

“TNG also intends to submit additional maps and information for which it does not require confidentiality, and which may be publicly posted,” Nelson writes.

Taseko Mines vice president of corporate affairs Brian Battison says the panel has to deal with three issues: the Environmental Assessment process must be public and fully transparent; the panel will have to find a balance between public transparency and the desire to keep some information confidential, and decide what weight it assigns to information submitted “in secret and not available to public scrutiny or challenge.”

“If there are legitimate areas of First nations concern, they need to be respected,” he adds.

Interested parties have today and tomorrow to comment on the TNG’s request, before the panel makes a decision.

Comments can be sent to:

Colette Spagnuolo, Panel manager,

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

160 Elgin St. Ottawa ON  K1A 0H3

prosperity.review@ceaa-acee.gc.ca

Telephone: 1-866-582-1884

Fax: 613-957-0941.