Lax Kw'alaams and their global footprint

The forestry ambitions of Lax Kw'alaams are starting to gain notice outside of the Northwest, and from Vancouver to Beijing it seems that their plans and success so far is gaining an audience.

The Vancouver Sun's Gordon Hamilton has provided a detailed look at the operations of Coast Tsimshian Resources, describing the Lax Kw'alaams based company as a powerhouse in the northwest.

From Hamilton's review  we learn how the company has progressed over the last ten years, taking on the risky initiative of purchasing the Skeena Forest Products timber licence and turning it into what is now a successful logging business earning an estimated $30 million a year in revenues.

Since those early days, Coast Tsimshian Resources has developed into one of the largest holders of timber rights in the province, with access to more than 700,000 cubic metres of timber a year.

The article outlines the impact of that investment on the community of Lax Kw'alaams and how the community and its resource company is now finding success in China, where Coast Tsimshian Resources has opened a trade office located in Beijing.

From their timber lands have come major contracts overseas which are beginning to bear fruit for the company, 2009 saw Coast Tsimshian sign an agreement with Chinese interests, this first contract will see a shipment of 25,000 cubic-metre shipment of low-grade logs forwarded to Chinese lumber mills.

It was part of the overall harvest of 350,000 cubic metres of logs from that year, 200,000 of which was destined for China, Japan or Korea. The remainder for the most part is sent to Vancouver where it is milled at a local sawmill on the south coast for the domestic market.

The selling of logs to China is seen as but the start of a larger plan for Coast Tsimshian, which would include the purchase of the Watson Island pulp mill site, seemingly in a state of limbo at the moment while the City of Prince Rupert and the former owner Sun Wave work their way through the courts.

Should Coast Tsimshian become the successful bidder for the property, the main focus of their interest appears at the moment to be the power plant, which can run on wood pellets and is capable of generating 50 megawatts of electricity.

Their interest in Watson Island seems to be focused on the prospect of turning local wood into pellets for that powerhouse, should the process ever come to a final conclusion.

They apparently have no desire to re-open the pulp mill as an ongoing concern, and with the province's forestry industry still in decline at the moment, they don't see much of a margin for success for a sawmill operation at the current time.

That final point is perhaps the one sticking point locally regarding the success thus far of the company, there are still many former forestry employees that feel that there is a need to mill lumber in BC, providing value added products and jobs. Something that is addressed in the article to a degree, though through the prism of the current difficulties of the forestry today.

For the most part, the Sun article outlines the larger vision of the company though, it's now global reach and the impact that it has on the local community.

It's well worth a read to learn a little bit more about one of the ongoing engines of the local economy.

Vancouver Sun-- Coast Tsimshian Resources leads Northwest economic revival
Coast Tsimshian Resoruces-- Company website

The Stirring ghosts of Watson Island

September 29th marks the latest benchmark date for Prince Rupert and it's on again, off again roller coaster ride with the Watson Island pulp mill site.

That's the day that the property could revert back to the City of Prince Rupert, which will have title to the operation that hasn't seen a productive day in a number of years and a piece of property that has much in the way of tax arrears to show for it; but seemingly nobody willing to pay the outstanding bills.

The looming day of return was first outlined by the Northern View last week, which provided us with a snapshot of these potentially final days of ownership for the largely absent SunWave corporation. They were the Chinese owners of the property, who never really seemed to reach beyond holding the assets, while deferring on the taxes. Any plans that they may have had to operate the mill as a functioning pulp mill, apparently were placed well down the list of things to do and now with a bit over a week to go, their time is almost up.

The Mayor in his Northern View article suggested that the City was working on a contingency plan for the mill, though there were few details to share on just what they have planned should they become title holders again on the 29th.

CFTK TV provided a recap of the events that have led up to deadline day later this month, with their TV7 report outlining the steps that could follow on the way to a return of the property to the city and a thought on the potential use for the site, far removed from the days of making pulp.





Perhaps lost in that television report is that one line that offers up a development option for the site and maybe a reason for the recent public interest of Lax Kw'alaams council in the property.

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A surprise announcement revealed in Friday's Daily News provided the twist in the on going story that Lax Kw'alaams council, along with a mystery partner, were in the process of putting in a bid for the mill.

The article did provide one of those conspicuous by its absence moments, as Lax Kw'alaams did not specify what their intention for the site may be, with no mention of an operating pulp mill suggested or provided in the article.

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In addition to keeping the identity of their mystery partners close to their vest, the Lax Kw'alaams council seems to be keeping what it may do with the site out of the public domain for the time being, with many thoughts ranging from forestry, to fishing to transportation making the rounds of the city's coffee shops.

Which leads us back to earlier in the week and that line in the CFTK story, that one potential use outlined as perhaps that as an aquaculture operation.

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That would tie in nicely with recent musings from Mayor Jack Mussallem, who floated the arrival of an aquaculture partner for the region in the Northern View article of September 10 (see link above), suggesting that a partnership with local First Nations was key to such a move forward.

Mayor Mussallem kept up with the mystery theme of late when it comes to Watson Island, suggesting that the interest of Lax Kw'alaams is still more in the discussion phase, as opposed to the formal bidding stage.

Maybe that interest could for the Mayor move beyond the tire kicking stage very soon and well may be the topic of discussion at the upcoming closed meeting of council which will meet this Monday at 5pm to discuss matters pertaining to "the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers the disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality."

While the meeting notice doesn't specify Watson Island as the topic of the day, all of the indicators point to the pulp mill site making for the topic of discussion at the closed session and maybe in the spirit of transparency perhaps providing for some feedback in the open session of this week's council.

Hopefully the city's residents will have a clearer picture as to what's happening out at Watson Island shortly and what its future may hold.

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After all they are the ones who will ultimately be on the hook for the lost taxes of past years and will probably be required to cover the cost of upkeep upon the return of the mill.

Lax Kw'alaams Chief has thoughts on treaty issues and Enbrige plans

John Helin, the elected Chief councilor of Lax Kw'alaams has provided some insight into how two items of interest to his people are being examined by his government.

With treaty negotiations bogging down in the always controversial topic of fisheries issues and Enbridge energy making plans for a pipeline in the region, the chief councillor found many items of concern on both of the current topics and how they will impact on Lax Kw'alaams.

The two issues were addressed in seperate Daily News articles on Thursday and Friday.

Helin shares concern at treaty talk impediments
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Thursday, December 04, 2008

Page two

Lax Kw'alaams elected Chief councilor John Helin is not surprised at all by the recent report by the BC Treaty Commission that treaty negotiation with North Coast First Nations has hit a huge stumbling block called the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Helin mentioned that Lax Kw'alaams had just been through a court case with DFO for access to ocean resources with the opportunity to sell those resources.

He said the reason that was done was because Lax Kw'alaams has been in a treaty process since the early 80s and does not feel that real progress is being made - mainly because of the reticence by the federal government to treat the First Nations tribe fairly.

"We don't have one interim agreement with (the DFO) and for thousands of years our people have lived off the sea and everything else that comes from the sea. We don't have access and we can't make a viable living with the way things are going," said Helin.

A couple of months ago, Lax Kw'alaams hereditary Chief Buddy Helin commented that Port Simpson had an unemployment rate of 85 per cent in the village.

"With unemployment comes all the social problems and how we deal with that. There are very limited resources at our disposal," said Helin. "One of the biggest things for us as a local government is to create employment and one of the quickest and simplest means to do that is that fish plant. It employs a lot of our members and with employment comes self esteem and everything else," said Helin.

There have been no tripartite negations between Lax Kw'alaams, the government of B.C. and the federal government since 2005.

"It is a real struggle for everything we gain - if we gain. At least with the provincial government they are signing agreements with us," said Helin.

Last month, Lax Kw'alaams, along with Metlakatla, signed an agreement with the provincial government to return 4,775 hectares of land to both bands after 40 years of negotiations.
But Helin was precise with his words that consultation and negotiation styles from the past will not continue.

"It's not sending you a letter or giving you a phone call saying this is why we are doing this. That's not consultation.

"To us, that's not good enough," said Helin.

There is a fleet of 60 to 70 gillnet boats docked in Port Simpson and a fish plant that was open this year but struggled to be financially viable.

Helin said that this has forced the people of Lax Kw'alaams to diversify, moving in to hake and crab fisheries.

There also might some other opportunities opening up for the community that could employ more people in the community, though Helin did not say at this time what kind of opportunities might be available.

Chief taking a long look at pipeline
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Friday, December 05, 2008

Page Five

Lax Kw'alaams elected Chief John Helin expressed cautious concern about Enbridge Inc.'s plan to build its Northern Gateway pipeline though Northern B.C. to Kitimat.

While the project would dip southward before it reaches Prince Rupert, it will partially go through Lax Kw'alaams territory, meaning the First Nation band is expecting to be consulted.
Helin said Enbridge had approached the band about the project and he said he was waiting to hear more.

"We understand the proposed route and we have some concerns around tanker traffic and where it is going to go," said Helin of the conversation he and Lax Kw'alaams council had with Enbridge officials. "We just have to see how that is going to go."

The proposed project consists of two pipelines going east-west with Alberta tar sands oil and west-east with condensate. Enbridge expects to pump 525,000 barrels of oil and 193,000 barrels of condensate each day.

Helin added that Enbridge representatives have insisted that it will be the safest project of this type in the world but he said the band has not said 'yes' or 'no' at this point.

For North Coast residents, the environmental concerns that have been raised centre around the oil tankers moving through the province's northern shores - a scary proposition for some.

If a condensate tanker were to spill in Hecate Strait, according to Bruce Hill of the Headwaters Institute, it would kill any species within contact. The good news is that it would evaporate fairly quickly.

As for the oil, they are still cleaning up the mess Exxon Valdez left in 1989.

In an effort to subdue those fears, Enbridge has taken to touring the northern-half of B.C. to give their side of the story and, as the company's representatives claim, to receive feedback on their plans and mold their plans into what northerners want to see.

As part of that wooing, the Calgary-based pipeline operator has added an extra incentive to First Nations communities in the North by offering them a collective 10 per cent stake in the project. There are also potentially 4,000 temporary jobs at stake, which for a community like Lax Kw'alaams suffering from sever unemployment could mean jobs.

Helin said economics were an important consideration and part of the reason why he could not just turn his back on Enbridge even though his community has serious environmental concerns about the proposed project.

"I think any opportunity like that we would be very interested in," said Helin.
But he added that Lax Kw'alaams leadership was very concerned about the salmon in the region and conservation efforts for the environment.

"We have to be comfortable in the fact that nothing is going to happen to harm the environment."

Enbridge's vice president of communications and aboriginal affairs Roger Harris said that Enbridge has already got almost 20 First Nation communities to sign on to the agreement. Harris said that agreement does not mean they approve the project, it just means they are working on the design aspect.

The challenge for Enbridge is that its proposed pipeline runs through 60 First Nations communities, many of which are still dealing with land claims and treaty rights and still undecided. Navigating through different politics will be just as important as planning the line itself.
Opposition to the proposed project among First Nations communities along the projected line run from expectations needing to be met to outright refusal.

There are tribes, such as the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council whose territory is just west of Prince George, who have said they will not approve the pipeline until there is an independent First Nations-led Environmental Assessment. And there are tribes like Haida Nation who have said that they would not sign an agreement with Enbridge and that they were opposed to any oil tanker traffic in Hecate Strait.

"There is absolutely no doubt that there are communities that have problems with the federal government's environmental process," said Harris, who is the former BC Liberal MLA for the Skeena riding and who has been at odds with the Haida Nation in the past over forestry on Haida Gwaii.

He recognized there was opposition to oil tankers but said Enbridge would continue to try to work with all First Nations communities during the lifeline of the project.

Employment plans with a twist for Watson Island

They may not be making pulp at Watson Island anymore, but for the moment the forestry industry still has a place on the industrial lands just outside of Port Edward.

The Daily News featured a front page story on Friday about plans from the Lax Kw'alaams band, who have joined in with Northern Pacific Transload to develop a container stuffing operation on the island.

Lax Kw'alaams which also operates Coast Tsimshian Resources hopes that the operation will work nicely with its logging operations on the coast.

They will load the containers at Watson island for shipment through the Fairview Container Terminal. The project should hire somewhere around 20 and the plans are for it to be in operation by the new year.

WATSON ISLAND TO BE NEW HUB FOR FORESTRY OPERATION

By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, November 16, 2007

Pages one and five

The Lax Kw'alaams band has entered into a joint venture with Northern Pacific Transload to open a container-stuffing facility on Watson Island.

Captain Peter Jaskiewicz, of Northern Pacific Transload, said the integrated facility will handle multiple products from around the region for stuffing into containers outbound through the Fairview Container Terminal.

"Our company is very excited to enter into a partnership with the Lax Kw'alaams Band, which will see us bring our individual expertise to the venture as well as promoting capacity development and employment for the Lax Kw'alaams Band members," he said.

The facility is expected to operate out of existing warehouse space at the Watson Island pulp mill site and will open early in the new year, possibly even earlier if customers are ready to use the facility, said Jaskiewicz.

Gary Reece, chief councilor for Lax Kw'alaams said they are pleased to be moving forward with the venture, which also dovetails with the band's forestry enterprises.

"We will be creating more than 20 new positions and have taken the lead in developing sustainable business opportunities as a result of the port expansion," said Reece.

Lax Kw'alaams also operates Coast Tsimshian Resources, a forestry company that owns Tree Farm Licence 1 and an additional licence in the Terrace area. The new facility will allow Coast Tsimshian Resources to handle log scaling, sorting and chipping as well as container stuffing, broadening the markets for its products.

"Our forest company has been working hard to diversify its log markets and this news is a welcome and complementary addition to our corporate structure that will enable us to increase our log sales into new markets," said Andy Tait, Robbie Hughes and Victor Kelly, councillors who sit on the board of Coast Tsimshian Resources.

Councillor Jerry Lawson, chair of the Lax Kw'alaams Economic Development Committee and Captain Jaskiewicz both spoke of the potential to increase container-loading operations to include products from around the Northwest, such as car parts or forestry products.

In addition, Lawson said they would be looking at value-added log production on the site.
"This will increase employment opportunity to our members, which is one of our primary goals of entering into this partnership with Northern Pacific Transload," said Lawson.

Captain Jaskiewicz brings a lifetime of experience in the shipping and container-handling industry to the project, not only as the former CEO of Fraser Surrey Docks, a container-handling operation in Vancouver, but as a captain who has travelled in and out of Prince Rupert many times.

Reece said they are extremely excited about the opportunities out there as a result of the port expansion and are aggressively pursuing new opportunities.

"Our goal is to develop new businesses, complementing our core business that will provide sustainable employment opportunities for our membership," he said.

Alliance of First Nations forms to support Coast Tsimshian in container port dispute

Alliance of First Nation forms to support Coast Tsimshian in container port dispute

The Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams First Nations are receiving support from First nation groups across the region, as they continue with their plans to seek out a settlement from the Federal Government and Prince Rupert Port Authority over their outstanding issues of consultation and accommodation.

The situation recently came back to prominence with a statement from the two First Nations that they would not allow Phase one of the soon to be container port to be begin operation, until they were satisfied with the resolution of their concerns.

The Daily News featured the latest developments on the front page of Thursday’s paper.

OTHER FIRST NATIONS GET BEHIND COAST TSIMSHIAN
Representatives from across region say talks must be started up again
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Pages one and three

An alliance of Coastal First Nations have thrown their support behind Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla and are calling on the federal government to resume its discussions with the Coast Tsimshian on the Prince Rupert Port expansion.

“We fully support the Coast Tsimshian on this issue,” said Art Sterrit, executive director of the Coastal First Nations. “There is no question of the existence of the rights and interests of all the Coastal First Nations and particularly those people closest to the project. The Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla First Nations have been reasonable in their position with the federal government on the port expansion. We fully support and we support them in their objective of having ensuring that their social, environmental and economic concerns are met before the project can proceeds.”

The Coastal First Nations recently passed a resolution to support the Coast Tsmishian, in their support, the alliance of Coastal First Nations noted “That they strongly support the actions of Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams in regard to the issues related to the development of the Port of Prince Rupert, and further more, have resolved to commit to become actively involved in the development and implementation of an action plan, including with meeting in Prince Rupert to provide our support to the two First Nations on this issue,”

The Coast Tsimshian have asked the federal government to meet its duty of consultation and accommodation in respect to the Fairview Terminal expansion, Garry Reece, chief councilor for the Lax Kw’alaams Band said. “There has been no progress or consultation and the federal government cannot sweep this under the rug.”

“We will not allow Phase 1 to commence operations unless our concerns have been addressed,” added Harold Leighton, chief councilor for Metlakatla.

While the Prince Rupert Port Authority said the federal government has made an offer worth 7.5 million and concluded consultations for Phase 1, the two First Nations say the agreement does not recognize their aboriginal rights and title and does not meet the standards of consultation and accommodation.

The issue is currently before the Federal Court of Canada.

“The federal Federal Government of Canada has steadfastly refused to properly or adequately engage First Nations in the planning or development of the mega-port already in progress in Prince Rupert, and they must return to the table with the Coast Tsimshian,” said Guujaaw, president of the Coastal First Nations and the Council of the Haida nation.

“We’re urging the federal government to return to the negotiating table. At this stage of the development, the involvement of the First Nations will make for a better project,” said Guujaaw.

He noted that the increase in traffic alone will impact the lives of Coastal First Nations.

“Compounded with the prospect of bilge, waste and ballast discharge introducing foreign organisms and hydrocarbons into these waters are matters that we should all be concerned with. Consider an increase of traffic with weak and antiquated maritime laws and the fact that Canada has been dismantling it’s navigational aids over the past decade and consider the social impacts of a mega port, and you will know why this project cannot be designed by economics alone,’ said Guujaaw.

Sterritt noted there is a rapid increase in developments on the North Coast and said there are concerns about the cumulative impacts that the port project and other developments will have on the environment.

“The Coastal First Nations want to state very clearly we will not stand back and have our environmental and economic concerns ignored,” he said.

The Coast First Nations are an alliance of First Nations on British Columbia’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii. Communities include the Wuikinuxv Nation, Heiltsuk, Kitassoo/Xaixais, Gitga’at, Haisla, Metlkatla, Homalco, Old Massett, Skidegate and the Council of the Haida Nation,