B.C. First Nation Burial Site Desecrated; Developer Awarded
Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group | 17.07.2005 01:14 | Anti-racism | Culture | Social Struggles
Coast Salish First Nations on Vancouver Island proclaim their solemn disgust at the Urban Development Institute's prestiguous 2005 Award of Excellence for Best Resort Development to ‘Poets Cove Resort and Spa’, South Pender Island – a controversial $40 million Gulf Island luxury resort under active prosecution by Crown Counsel for destroying an aboriginal burial ground during its construction.
Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada – The Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group (HTG) has written in protest to the President of the Urban Development Institute, David Podmore, for bestowing a 2005 Award of Excellence for ‘Best Resort Development’ to ‘Poets Cove Resort and Spa’, South Pender Island – a controversial $40 million Gulf Island luxury resort under active prosecution by Crown Counsel for destroying an aboriginal burial ground during its construction, in contravention of the provincial Heritage Conservation Act [R.S.B.C. 1996].
In its decision, the Urban Development Institute (UDI) – a national non-profit organization of the business leaders in Canada - publicly congratulated Poets Cove Resort and Spa for addressing the ‘significance of environmental issues that arise when working with the Islands Trust’, and further lauded the Gulf Island resort as, “an amazing project that respects the sensitivity of its surroundings” (Vancouver Sun, Special Section J5, July 9th, 2005). B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Honorable Olga Ilich, Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Arts (also responsible for Heritage Conservation) presented speeches at the UDI award banquet.
Robert Morales, Chief Negotiator of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, avowed, “Poets Cove is one of the worst desecrations of an aboriginal burial ground by development in the recent history of Canada. Our First Nations are solemnly disgusted by this public tribute to a corporation that has destroyed our national heritage, violated provincial law, and profited from the destruction of our Ancestors’ graves”
On February 10th, 2003, the RCMP shut down Poets Cove’s construction site to investigate the resort development’s alleged large-scale destruction of a Coast Salish historical village and cemetery site estimated to date up to 4000 to 5000 years old. Thousands of human remains representing the bodies of over 50 aboriginal peoples have been salvaged over the last two years from resort’s construction back fill. Crown Counsel has recently announced charges under the Heritage Conservation Act against Poets Cove development team, who are scheduled for a 10 day court trial at Victoria Provincial Court in January 2006.
“Those who vandalize and despoil the cemeteries of any other minority group in Canada receive civic disgrace, not public acclamation. This award to Poets Cove is an insult to all First Nation peoples”, stated Morales. “We believe our aboriginal people and our burial sites deserve equal public respect and justice in Canada”.
The Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group has asked UDI to revoke its public award to Poets Cove, issue a public apology, and bestow the honour to a resort development that has deservingly achieved the highest standards of professionalism, sustainability and community partnership building in British Columbia.
The Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group represents six Coast Salish First Nations of over 6,000 people on eastern Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands, including the Chemainus First Nation, Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lake Cowichan First Nation, Lyackson First Nation and Penelakut Tribe, who are currently negotiating a Stage 4 Agreement-in-Principle with British Columbia and Canada in the BC Treaty Process (www.hulquminum.bc.ca).
Supporting letters of protest to:
David Podmore, President
Urban Development Institute – Pacific Region
3rd Floor, 717 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 1G9 Canada www.udi.bc.ca
Tel: (604) 669-9585 Fax: (604) 689-8691
www.concertproperties.com
Maureen B. Esner, Executive Director
Urban Development Institute – Pacific Region
mesner@udi.org
Diana McMeekin, Chair of UDI 2005 Award of Excellence
President, Artemis Marketing Group
diana@artemismarketing.net.
Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
premier@gov.bc.ca
Honourable Olga Ilich
Anette Antoniak, Deputy Minister
Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Arts
Annette.Antoniak@gov.bc.ca
Honourable Tom Christensen
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Tom.Christensen.MLA@leg.bc.ca
In its decision, the Urban Development Institute (UDI) – a national non-profit organization of the business leaders in Canada - publicly congratulated Poets Cove Resort and Spa for addressing the ‘significance of environmental issues that arise when working with the Islands Trust’, and further lauded the Gulf Island resort as, “an amazing project that respects the sensitivity of its surroundings” (Vancouver Sun, Special Section J5, July 9th, 2005). B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and Honorable Olga Ilich, Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Arts (also responsible for Heritage Conservation) presented speeches at the UDI award banquet.
Robert Morales, Chief Negotiator of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, avowed, “Poets Cove is one of the worst desecrations of an aboriginal burial ground by development in the recent history of Canada. Our First Nations are solemnly disgusted by this public tribute to a corporation that has destroyed our national heritage, violated provincial law, and profited from the destruction of our Ancestors’ graves”
On February 10th, 2003, the RCMP shut down Poets Cove’s construction site to investigate the resort development’s alleged large-scale destruction of a Coast Salish historical village and cemetery site estimated to date up to 4000 to 5000 years old. Thousands of human remains representing the bodies of over 50 aboriginal peoples have been salvaged over the last two years from resort’s construction back fill. Crown Counsel has recently announced charges under the Heritage Conservation Act against Poets Cove development team, who are scheduled for a 10 day court trial at Victoria Provincial Court in January 2006.
“Those who vandalize and despoil the cemeteries of any other minority group in Canada receive civic disgrace, not public acclamation. This award to Poets Cove is an insult to all First Nation peoples”, stated Morales. “We believe our aboriginal people and our burial sites deserve equal public respect and justice in Canada”.
The Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group has asked UDI to revoke its public award to Poets Cove, issue a public apology, and bestow the honour to a resort development that has deservingly achieved the highest standards of professionalism, sustainability and community partnership building in British Columbia.
The Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group represents six Coast Salish First Nations of over 6,000 people on eastern Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands, including the Chemainus First Nation, Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lake Cowichan First Nation, Lyackson First Nation and Penelakut Tribe, who are currently negotiating a Stage 4 Agreement-in-Principle with British Columbia and Canada in the BC Treaty Process (www.hulquminum.bc.ca).
Supporting letters of protest to:
David Podmore, President
Urban Development Institute – Pacific Region
3rd Floor, 717 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 1G9 Canada www.udi.bc.ca
Tel: (604) 669-9585 Fax: (604) 689-8691
www.concertproperties.com
Maureen B. Esner, Executive Director
Urban Development Institute – Pacific Region
mesner@udi.org Diana McMeekin, Chair of UDI 2005 Award of Excellence
President, Artemis Marketing Group
diana@artemismarketing.net. Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
premier@gov.bc.ca Honourable Olga Ilich
Anette Antoniak, Deputy Minister
Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Arts
Annette.Antoniak@gov.bc.ca Honourable Tom Christensen
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Tom.Christensen.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group