Prosperity

On Tuesday, Adriane Carr and I made a visit to our wonderful candidate in Prince George-Cariboo, Heidi Redl.  We had planned it for some time (and on to Prince George the next day with our other fabulous Prince George candidate – for Prince George-Peace River, Hilary Crowley).  We had no way of knowing when we were planning the trip to Williams Lake that the visit would occur shortly after the federal government decision to reject the planned copper and gold mine, known as the Prosperity Mine.  The mine would have destroyed Fish Lake.  One bright young mining engineer I met on my flight suggested you wouldn’t believe it in a movie.  Playing to clichés: Prosperity mine. Fish Lake.

Given the feeling of shock many in the community were experiencing, we decided to host a community round table.  Heidi invited many of the community’s key players  --  community groups, environmental groups, First Nations, the Chamber of Commerce.  Only the Chamber of Commerce decided not to attend.  We set out to discuss opportunities for Green economic development and job creation.

The area has been hard-hit by Canada’s most costly (to date) climate change disaster.  The lodgepole pine of the interior forests have been virtually wiped out by the pine beetle.  In years gone by, the pine beetle was never so voracious it could destroy whole forests.  Its numbers were always knocked back by winter cold snaps.  No longer.  Thanks to climate change, the pine beetle kill has cost hundreds of jobs in many mill operations. 

The discussion was lively.  Many expressed a level of frustration with the Prosperity Mine and its proponent company, Taseko Mines Ltd.  For seventeen years, those who promoted the mine have seen it as a panacea --  a promise of wealth and riches, and, well – “prosperity.”  The obsession with the mine reminded me of Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak House, in which the Jardyce family consumed its fortune, fighting among themselves over a family will.  Community members spoke of a tunnel vision that saw the mine as the only path to new jobs.   So great was boosterism for the mine, that town landmarks were re-named “Prosperity”.  Williams Lake, hometown of “Man in motion” Rick Hansen, renamed “Rick Hansen Way” “Prosperity Way.”  And the mall with the Wallmart was named “Prosperity Place”.  As one participant quipped, “we are lucky it is still called ‘Williams Lake.’”

Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tsilhqot’in spoke of being treated with contempt and ridicule by the mining company and its supporters.  Meanwhile, he pointed out the First Nation brings $150 million a year into the economy.  His First Nation has purchased an old sawmill and is developing a bio-energy plan.  He has also worked with other community leaders and has succeeded in a remarkable reduction in the crime rate.  Chief Joe Alphonse believes the most fundamental investment must be in education.  His leadership is inspiring.

The economic development ideas worth pursuing included expansion of local food, access to greater slaughter house capacity for grass-fed organic beef, more food production (veggies and such), tourism expansion (the area is a day’s drive from Vancouver with fish to be caught in Fish Lake, grizzlies, wild horses and stunning scenery), potential for locally made bricks, restoring passenger rail, value-added wood products from the beetle-killed “blue-stained” wood.   One initiative has recently succeeded in developing a mountain biking opportunity.

Then we went to meet with the Mayor.  Her Worship, Kerry Cook, was impressive.  The ideas from the community were in keeping with her own thinking.  “We never put all our eggs in one basket,” she said.  She said the city has Integrated Community Sustainability Planning to try to get away from a “boom and bust development model.”   And she wonders where the money the federal government promised for communities reeling from the pine beetle kill has gone.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised $1 billion for BC's communities impacted by the beetle.  So far, only $200 million has been delivered.  And that’s to all the BC  communities ravaged by the beetles' destruction.

It appears Taseko does not want to take “no” for an answer.  Maybe they will begin to treat First Nations with respect.  Maybe they will stop looking for approval for the cheapest way to mine copper and gold, but find some way to protect Fish Lake and its tributaries.   In the meantime, there are a lot of people in Williams Lake glad that the tunnel vision of “Prosperity” is lifting and new ideas have space to be explored.