The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC) has joined the chorus of alarm being raised over what the provincial government says are minor changes to the Mines Act.
"Under the current conditions, even before the changes were made, it was pretty adversarial and it's going to get even worse, I think," vice tribal chief Terry Teegee said Wednesday.
The CSTC issued a statement saying it is "astounded that the B.C. government is proposing unilateral changes to the Mining Act without any consultation and accommodation of first nations title and rights."
The CSTC is calling on Clark to convene a first nations government-to-government table and warned that without doing so, proposed mines will be mired in legal conflict for many years.
However, Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Pat Bell said the provincial government has no obligation to consult first nations on legislative changes, only when specific actions are being planned for their territories that may affect their aboriginal rights.
The amendments will allow mining companies to conduct low-risk explorations without going through a lengthy permitting process and the activities covered by the changes are focused on small drill programs that don't require road-building.
Teegee maintains the impact of exploration activities is greater than commonly thought.
"It leaves a big footprint on the land," Teegee said.
A recent Mining Association of B.C. report concluded mining in British Columbia generated almost $9 billion in activities last year, including 45,703 direct and indirect jobs.
Government records show that since 2001, there have been 38 mine project applications submitted to the province's Environmental Assessment Office. Of those 38 applications, 10 received environmental go-aheads, and three of those 10 are currently in operation.
B.C. mines minister Rich Coleman rejected any suggestions the government is pandering to the mining industry.
"If you look at how long it takes to get a mine approved in British Columbia, it's just the opposite," he told Canadian Press. "Our mining industry is recognized as one of the best stewards of the land of any mining industry in the world."
Sierra Club president George Heyman said the provincial government is heading in the opposite direction of public opinion if they loosen regulations to open more mines.
"We're not anti-mining, I want to be clear about that," said Heyman. "But if the government is going to stake B.C.'s economic future on mining, then we should do it in an environmentally responsible way that's transparent, science-based and has good environmental assessment processes."
He said British Columbians oppose relaxed approval standards for mining developments and fear the province will make sacrifices today that could cause future regrets.
- with files from Canadian Press
