(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – August 10, 2016) Yesterday marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, yet on this day Vancouver stood witness to violent acts against Indigenous women in their efforts to raise awareness to the environmental devastation caused by Imperial Mines’ Mount Polley tailings dam two years ago. August 4, 2016, marked the second anniversary of the failure of the tailings dam at Mount Polley which is now considered to be the worst mining disaster of its kind in Canadian history. The dam burst flooded Hazeltine Creek with 2.5 billion gallons of contaminated water and 4.5 million cubic meters of metals-laden silt destroying the creek, contaminating Quesnel Lake and endangering the very livelihoods of the many First Nations and non-First Nations communities throughout Secwepemc Territory.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – April 21, 2015)  The Union of BC Indian Chiefs is deeply honoured to congratulate Xeni Gwet’in Councillor Marilyn Baptiste, in winning the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her leadership in defeating one of the largest proposed gold and copper mines in British Columbia which would have destroyed Teztan Biny (Fish Lake), a source of spiritual rejuvenation, identity and livelihood for the Xeni Gwet’in.