First Nations Declaration Concerning the Site C Dam, as read by Chief Liz Logan of the Treaty 8 Tribal Association, via ictvvictoria:

The Declaration that was signed and ratified by the concerned First Nations groups of northern BC who will be adversely and directly affected by the Site C Dam construction and operation. The Declaration was to be presented to the Liberal government on September 19 at an anti-Site C rally held at the BC legislature. No Liberal government representatives attended the rally or could be bothered to acknowledge the Declaration.

Here's the text of the declaration:

DECLARATION on this 17th day of September 2010

of the

Doig River First Nation

Halfway River First Nation

Prophet River First Nation

West Moberly First Nations

Concerning the Proposed Site C Dam on the Peace River, British Columbia

WHEREAS we, the Dunne Zaa/Dane zaa people of the Doig River First Nation, Halfway River First Nation, Prophet River First Nation and West Moberly First Nations are the original indigenous Nations of northern British Columbia who have a unique historical, spiritual and cultural link to the land:

We have occupied the Peace River Valley and its tributaries, the Athabasca and Mackenzie watershed region since time immemorial; and continue to occupy this land;

Our ancient, sacred sites and graves of our ancestors are found throughout the Peace River Valley and its tributaries;

AND WHEREAS we have inherent, constitutional rights to continue our way of life in the Peace River region:

We are signatories to Treaty No. 8, a peace and friendship Treaty between the Crown and each of the signatory First Nations.

We are stewards of the land, who face industrial devastation to the land; and

In Treaty No. 8, the Crown and First Nations agreed that the First Nation signatories “have the right to continue with our way of life for as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow” without forced interference as though never entered the treaty; and

The rights provided for in Treaty 8 are constitutionally recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982;

AND WHEREAS the Province of British Columbia proposes to construct and operate a major hydroelectric dam project (the “Site C Dam”) on the Peace River that eliminates our ability to continue our way of life and exercise our Treaty-protected constitutional rights to hunt, trap, fish, harvesting and carry out traditional practices on the land. Construction and operation of the proposed Site C dam will, among other things, have direct and cumulative impacts that (but not limited to):

Disrespect and destroy the graves of our ancestors

Eliminate critical warm lowlands where both predators and prey survive harsh northern winters;

Demolishes habitat and disrupts migration routes for bull trout and other fish species at the top of the Peace River aquatic food chain and cause them to become contaminated with mercury that poisons the traditional foods of First Nations, as happened already behind the Bennett Dam already impacting our homeland;

Annihilate the islands in the Peace where cow moose deliver their calves

Submerge key ungulate calving grounds for moose, mule deer, and elk;

Eliminate regionally rare and important ecosystems, including old growth deciduous and mixed wood forest of the Peace, Halfway, and Moberly Rivers, riparian forests important to furbearers, habitat for red and blue listed neo-tropical migrant birds, and traditional and medicinal rare plant communities;

Destroy more than 7000 acres of class one and class two farmland and along with it the opportunity for food security in northeast BC and other lands eliminated by erosion;

Together with the reservoirs created by the two existing dams, create a cumulative barrier to fish and wildlife, especially grizzly bear, movement at the narrowest waist of the continentally important Yellowstone to Yukon wildlife corridor;

Exacerbate the negative environmental impacts caused by the first two upstream Peace River dams to the Peace-Athabasca delta and other wetlands down the Peace, Athabasca and Mackenzie river watersheds through Alberta and the Northwest Territory all the way to the Arctic Ocean;

Add 147,000 tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as a result of this dam project which this government has dared call green and clean; and

Eliminates the very land upon which our people hold annual cultural camps to maintain the heritage of our relationship between our Elders, our youth and the land that is our duty to pass on to future generations in a healthy vibrant state.

via intercontinentalcry.org's JOHN AHNI SCHERTOW in Canada’s crimes: First Nations do not recognize illegal laws and enactments of the Government of Canada:

... Bill C-45 violates recognized and affirmed Treaty and Aboriginal rights. Furthermore, Canada intentionally failed to fulfill its constitutionally-obligated responsibility to consult affected First Nations before the Senate passed it. That makes Bill C-45 illegal.

Treaty Six Grand Chief Craig Makinaw states, “Harper’s government is not acting in good faith and is acting in a way that brings dishonour to the Crown. The Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations Chiefs call on the Government of Canada to ... fulfill the legal duty to consult First Nations prior to any legislation or enactment which would impact on First Nations Treaty, Inherent and Aboriginal rights.”

via idlenomore.com:

We contend that: The Treaties are nation to nation agreements between First Nations and the Crown who are sovereign nations. The Treaties are agreements that cannot be altered or broken by one side of the two Nations. The spirit and intent of the Treaty agreements meant that First Nations peoples would share the land, but retain their inherent rights to lands and resources. Instead, First Nations have experienced a history of colonization which has resulted in outstanding land claims, lack of resources and unequal funding for services such as education and housing. 

We contend that: Canada has become one of the wealthiest countries in the world by using the land and resources. Canadian mining, logging, oil and fishing companies are the most powerful in the world due to land and resources. Some of the poorest First Nations communities (such as Attawapiskat) have mines or other developments on their land but do not get a share of the profit. The taking of resources has left many lands and waters poisoned – the animals and plants are dying in many areas in Canada. We cannot live without the land and water. We have laws older than this colonial government about how to live with the land.

We contend that: Currently, this government is trying to pass many laws so that reserve lands can also be bought and sold by big companies to get profit from resources. They are promising to share this time…Why would these promises be different from past promises? We will be left with nothing but poisoned water, land and air. This is an attempt to take away sovereignty and the inherent right to land and resources from First Nations peoples. 

We contend that: There are many examples of other countries moving towards sustainability, and we must demand sustainable development as well. We believe in healthy, just, equitable and sustainable communities and have a vision and plan of how to build them. 

Please join us in creating this vision.