Treaty 8 Elders Visit Site-C Hunger Striker

COAST SALISH TERRITORY: A delegation of chiefs and elders from Treay 8 paid a visit today to the protest camp outside BC Hydro headquarters in Vancouver.

The delegation brought gifts of appreciation to anti-Site-C hunger striker Kristin Henry. She was recently admitted to St Paul’s hospital after 20 days on a liquid-only diet camped outside BC Hydro. She was forced to stop after serious medical concerns over her deteriorating physical condition.

Just released from hospital, Henry addressed the crowd thanking her supporters and saying: “I still have quite a bit of healing to do. My heart and kidneys are tired, as is my mind. The next couple of weeks will require lots of rest, quiet, solitude & reflection.” She added, “I meant it when I said Christy Clark, BC Hydro and Trudeau will have blood on their hands if this project goes through. My hunger strike may have ended, but I have no intention of living in a world with Site-C and LNG.”

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs was also on hand to deride the provincial government for even considering the massive hydroelectric dam project in the Peace River Valley.

West Moberley First Nations Chief Roland Willson thanked Henry for her courage and personal sacrifice.  “Our elders continue to remind us that we must protect the land, and exercise our Indigenous rights and Treaty rights,” Willson said, adding “Every week we learn of a new reason why Site-C should not proceed, from increases that ratepayers face to the severley detrimental impacts the project will have on life sustaining trout in the Peace River, and as the public voice of opposition grows louder, we know the Christy Clark government will be forced to listen.”

Despite widespread opposition to the project, preliminery destruction started last summer, and is expected to continue in preparation for the dam construction.

Meanwhile in Fort St John, supporters of the Peace Valley Landowners Association gathered outside the Provincial Courthouse. The association is in the BC Supreme Court of Appeal this week trying to stop the dam. Spokespeople say they expect more demonstrations in Terrace, Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii.