First Nations condemn Peel proposal

Leaders of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, Na‐Cho Nyak Dun, Vuntut Gwitchin, and the Gwich'in Tribal Council are disappointed by the Yukon government's new proposals for the Peel River Watershed Land Use Plan.

By Whitehorse Star on October 29, 2012

The Yukon Party's introduction of sweeping new proposals at this point in the plan approval process is not consistent with the process set out in our Final Agreements, they said in a statement released Friday.

"The Yukon government had six years to bring forward their ideas and preferences while the Peel Watershed Planning Commission was developing its draft and final recommendations,” said Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Chief Eddie Taylor.

"It's simply not appropriate to bring forward these concepts now, after the commission has finished its work.”

"The Yukon government's new proposals disrespect the work of the commission and the input to the Plan by the majority of Yukoners who support a high level of protection for the Peel,” added Chief Simon Mervyn of the First Nation of Na‐Cho Nyak Dun.

"The Yukon government had ample opportunity to reveal their views during the planning process, which could have been incorporated in the final Plan by the Commission. By choosing to play their cards close to their chest until now, Yukon has chosen to not play by the rules.”

"The Peel River planning process is outlined in our First Nations agreements,” said Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Joe Linklater.

"We have been following that process and believe our position is strong. It is essential that we defend the integrity of our Final Agreements.”

Comments (4)

Up 0 Down 0

melba on Nov 5, 2012 at 9:36 am

Wouldn't it be nice if only Yukon residents could donate to political parties instead of allowing corporations to donate? Both unions and corporations should not be able to donate to political parties. The employees and workers in those corporations and unions can give their money to whom they see fit, and thereby represent the interests of those entities. But Unions and Corporations are not voters! In the current situation in the Yukon, 85% or more of Yukoners wanted one thing, 15% plus mining corporations wanted something else. It took a couple of months for the Yukon Party to table the mining industry's demands. They are counting on the public to give up. They are not looking for 'input', we already gave input. They are looking for despair and apathy. FIGHT BACK! The Yukon Party has a huge fight on their hands! Never give up! We are more, and we are stronger, no matter how much money the Yukon Party is receiving from the mining and oil and gas industries, and no matter how much a few Yukon Party members want to make more millions through turning the Peel into an industrial landscape.

Arn Anderson on Nov 1, 2012 at 6:10 am

Wow, something like 6 years for public consultation on the Peel, all that data, all those opinions *chucked in the garbage*.

Yukon Party dreams up a plan in 2 months, *takes the old plan blows the dust off of it, greenwashes it*.

Get these idiots out of office and elect a party NOT based on political affiliation.

election? on Oct 31, 2012 at 12:54 am

I thought it was an election issue last time around. The Yukon Party campaigned on a platform of balanced development for the Peel and won the election. The NDP took their usual save everything, no development anywhere ever approach to the voters and weren't elected.

June Jackson on Oct 29, 2012 at 12:42 pm

I am not an environmentalist.. and I couldn't care less about Final Agreements. However..if that is what it takes to pull us together to defend the Peel.. then..that is what it takes.

Development just can not be permitted to contaminate the peel watershed.

It will have to be made an election issue .

Whitehorse Daily Star