Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris trumpeted the economic benefits the proposed New Prosperity copper and gold mine could have for First Nations during a statement in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
For the second time this month, Harris used one of his one-minute statement opportunities to talk about why be believes the proposal by Taseko to build an open-pit copper and gold mine near Williams Lake should be allowed to proceed. During Wednesday's address, he singled out the leadership of the Tsilhqot'in National Government, who are in Ottawa this week to lobby against the mine.
"I ask the First Nations leadership to visualize how their communities can benefit when the prospect of good-paying, long-lasting jobs can be filled by their young people," Harris told the House of Commons. "I urge the leadership to take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity that will provide jobs for their citizens that will last for more than 25 years."
The controversial project has the support of many municipal, provincial and federal representatives from the Cariboo, as well as business leaders. First Nations groups in the area and environmentalists oppose the project, however, because they believe it will cause long-lasting harm to the environment and impede traditional aboriginal activities on the land.
A environmental review last year raised red flags about the potential harm the mine could pose to fish and fish habitat, but Taseko is challenging those findings in court claiming they were based on faulty evidence.
Harris told the House that the benefits of the mine for First Nations people are substantial.
"The New Prosperity gold-copper mine project will provide just that, support as well as skills training that is so desperately needed among our First Nations youth," Harris said. "I ask the leadership of the Tsilhqot'in Nation to recognize that their young people need this training to get those jobs."
Tsilhqot'in National Government chief Joe Alphonse and others are set to meet today with Conservative MP Colin Carrie, the parliamentary secretary to Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq. Alphonse and other delegates from groups opposing the mine met with NDP and Liberals MPs on Tuesday to talk about why they oppose the project.
Aglukkaq and her cabinet colleagues are expected to make a decision on the mine by the end of the month.
Taseko's original application was rejected by the federal government in 2010, but the company came back with a revised proposal it believes is more environmentally friendly.
