Nisga’a sign off shore deal with Province

The debate over off shore development may soon get another hearing, with word today that the Nisga’a Lisims Government have signed a deal with the Provincial government, in order to obtain more information about off shore exploration in their area.

They make for a bit of a surprise ally for the Provincial government, which has been trying to have the moratorium lifted on offshore development for the last number of years. An attempt which has resulted in strong opposition from other First Nations.

Most noticeably the Haida, who are still concerned about how development would impact on their traditional lifestyle. It’s a concern that hasn’t wavered much over the years and they still are vowing to continue to fight against lifting the moratorium

The decision of the Nisga’a to take a look at the industry and the pros and cons for development will probably make for interesting talks at future First Nations gatherings. However, signing the agreement doesn’t necessarily mean that the Nisga’a will eventually be in favour of development. They plan on using 283,000 dollars in provincial monies received as part of the deal, to organize local workshops, conduct surveys and study the industry in Alaska and its impact on traditional ways and how it has affected Alaskan communities.

Regardless of the eventual decision one way or the other, the news today is the first sign of potential progress on the offshore option to come along since the moratorium was first put in place back in the early 1970’s.