Report from the Mount Polley mine disaster

"WE ARE ON SITE. THERE IS NO CLEAN UP" -- Miranda Dick

Imperial Metals' recent tailings pond breach and toxic spill disaster in the Cariboo region sent a slurry-like mixture of 10 million cubic metres of water and 4.5 million cubic metres of fine sediment into Polley Lake, Hazeltine Creek and into Quesnel Lake. The impact on drinking water quality and salmon runs is devastating.

This may be BC's biggest environmental disaster, a result of unfettered access to mining in unceded Indigenous lands. And there is no clean up.

SHUT THEM DOWN

The Secwepemc Women's Warrior Society is taking strategic action to prevent any future disasters at Mount Polley and four other Imperial Metals operations. Please help defend the land and water and all living things. As Secwepemc land defender Janice Billy says, "Stop the destruction of Mother Earth, no more mining on our territories."

SUPPORTERS NEEDED

Seeking marine biologists, independant water studies, doctors, lawyers, and health care providers. Please help and assist the Indigenous people of the area and our Salmon who are being affected. We will greatly appreciate all the help we can get to fight not only Imperial Metals, but also tarsands, LNG, and the pipelines.

We urgently need donations for:

• Transportation to the mine blowout site
• Assessing the damage and monitoring the water
  
• Launching a campaign to remove Imperial Metals from the Toronto Stock Exchange

CALL OUT TO COMMUNITY

LISTEN: No Consent - Indigenous Nations Condemn Imperial Metals' Mount Polley Mine Disaster

"Gathering all the grass roots Hereditary chiefs, elders, youth, Clan Mothers for Okanagon Secwepmec Confederacy Emergency meeting starting at the Neskonlith Band Hall to go to our Northern Secwepmec territory that is affected by this Breach. Calling our Salmon Chief.

"On site and there is no clean up out here. We need to pressure for clean up. We need to close all industry throughout our territory."

-- Miranda Dick

"Please come and stand with me to sing songs and send prayers for our Salmon and Water and all those impacted by the devastating Imperial Metals tailings spill in my Secwepemc homelands. Come stand with me to force the Toronto Stock Exchange to pull Imperial Metals stocks off the TSX."

-- Kanahus Pelkey

"On Monday, Pam and I started sorting and washing jars for canning salmon and then we heard the devastating news of the mine spill in Northern Secwepemculecw [Secwepemc territory]. Imagine all the emotions - grief, despair, worry, for the water, salmon, people who depend on it.

"In our household, we never, ever buy or eat beef, pork, we only eat deer, moose, elk, salmon and pickerel. I have been so fortunate in that I had teachers who taught me how to gather, preserve, and protect our foods from the land.

"We have get past these emotions, and get on with our job here on earth and that is protect and take care of the land, water, language and people so that we can continue to be Secwepemc, for without these responsibilities we are just like everybody else. Rise up, stand, the land and water and everything therein need our help."

-- Janice Billy

"We Secwepemc need to COLLECTIVELY uphold our duties as caretakers of our lands & water because it will protect our future generations of all life including humans.
Start meetings with family & friends regarding the importance of protecting our homelands water & lands."

-- Rae Crow

MORE DESTRUCTION AHEAD?

Along with Mount Polley, Imperial Metals is planning and operating four other mines in BC -- one in the Sacred Headwaters, one in the Adams River watershed, and two more proposed at Catface Mountain in Clayoquot Sound.

VIDEO: Mount Polley disaster raises fears about Imperial Metals' other projects.

We are now finding out about the company's record of cutting corners and giving gifts to government.

Protect Tum Tum Lake & Adams River

Imperial Metals' Ruddock Creek project is located near Tum Tum Lake in the headwaters of the Upper Adams River. The project is in the advanced stage of exploration but has not obtained the consent of Neskonlith for current or any future activities. The Secwepemc territory includes the Adams River Watershed – home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon run and the location of Imperial’s Ruddock Creek lead and zinc project.

The area is of great importance to the Neskonlith who continue to use and occupy the area for hunting, gathering, education and ceremonies. In addition to being the headwaters of the Adams River, the area is also home to threatened mountain caribou and grizzly bear populations.

Imperial Metals out of the Sacred Headwaters!

"Against the wishes of all First Nations, the British Columbia government has opened the Sacred Headwaters to industrial development. Imperial Metals proposes an open-pit copper and gold mine, called the Red Chris mine, and Royal Dutch Shell wants to extract coal bed methane gas across a tenure of close to a million acres.” - Wade Davis, Explorer-in-Residence of the National Geographic Society and iLCP Photographer

"Imperial Metals 'owns' Red Chris Mine in the Sacred Headwaters of the Iskut and Stikine River - and they plan to build a tailing impoundment equivalent to the one that just failed."

-- Ann Jacobs

Defend Chitaapi (Catface Mountain) in Clayoquot Sound

Imperial Metals is planning two mining projects in Clayoquot Sound. Chitaapi (Catface Mountain) in Ahousaht territory, contains low-grade copper-molybdenum ore. Catface Mountain mine is a mountain-top removal scheme that would take place only 3 km from the village of Ahousat.

Fandora, a potential gold mine, would be at the head of Tranquil Valley, on Tla-o-qui-aht territory, for which the provincial government is currently reviewing an application for exploration. They have not consulted with the Tla-o-qui-aht, who are opposed to mining in their homelands.

Secwepemc Elder Irene Billy speaks

Help us shut down Imperial Metals before they do more damage.

PLEASE DONATE TODAY. 

By mail: Cheques are payable to "VIC FAN." Send care of Underhill Boies Parker Law,  816-1175 Douglas St, Victoria BC V8W 2E1. Please include a memo or cover letter designating Secwepemc Women Warriors Society.

Thank you - Kukstemc!