Port says their overtures were ignored

The Port of Prince Rupert has provided their side of the story on the simmering dispute between the Port Authority and the Metlakatla and Lax Kw' alaams bands over the container port.

The issued popped up again on the radar yesterday, when Reuters quoted the two bands as saying; that they will not allow the container port to begin operating until their land rights concerns over the project are addressed.

Contacted by Reuters to answer to charges yesterday from Gary Reece about the Port ignoring their claims, Don Krusel said that the Port made a C$7.65 million "offer of accommodation" to the Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams bands in February 2006, which was never responded to.

Instead, the issue went to the courts, with the Port stating that they are still awaiting a decision over whether or not the bands were provided with proper consultation.

Judging by the events of the last few days, it would appear that the interpretations of the same event seem to be coming from different directions. With the residents of the northwest to be found somewhere in the middle.

Port says native critics ignored overture
Reuters
Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:01 PM EDT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - The Prince Rupert Port Authority said on Thursday that two small native Indian groups threatening to block expansion plans at the port on the Pacific coast have ignored offers to address their concerns.

Port officials said they made a C$7.65 million "offer of accommodation" to the Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams bands in February 2006, but they never responded and instead filed lawsuits alleging their concerns were being ignored.

The city of Prince Rupert, near the southern tip of Alaska's panhandle, expects to complete work this fall on the first phase of a new container facility that will handle increasing trade between North America and Asia.

The Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams say the port is in their historic territories, and warned on Wednesday they would stop the facility from going into operation until their concerns are addressed.

The port is "making every effort possible to engage First Nations bands" to reduce the impact of the expansion on their traditional uses of the land, said Don Krusel, the port authority's president.

The courts have ruled that governments and private companies have a duty to consult with Indians over development on the natives' historic territories, although the native groups do not have an automatic veto power.

The issue is especially complicated on the Pacific coast because of a lack of modern day land treaties in the area and disagreements between aboriginal bands over the historic boundaries of their territories.

Other Indian bands not involved in this dispute also make territorial claims to the Prince Rupert area.

The port authority said it is still awaiting a court ruling on the Metlakatla's and Lax Kw'alaams' claim that they were not adequately consulted in this case, although the bands say that legal issue has already been settled.