I continue to be very disappointed with the approach of the Ministry of Agriculture on the fish farms file.
This past summer the Minister announced that the province has a new approach to open-net fish farms. The two new policy ideas were that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) had to prove that new farms would not threaten wild salmon, and that the First Nations in the territory which the new farm is proposed, must agree.
I immediately criticized this approach. First of all, it is difficult, it not impossible to enforce our will on the DFO. They already have the authority over licensing the industry and they should have been protecting wild salmon all along. On this, they have failed.
Second, having the First Nations agree to operate in their territories is the minimum standard and is nothing really to be proud of. Further to that, the approach ignores the impact of salmon for First Nations communities across the province.
While the province hailed the announcement this summer as a step forward for reconciliation, I was concerned that it actually could have the opposite impact by dividing First Nations communities on this critical issue. It has.
The announcement of the extension of talks between the First Nations in the Broughton Archipelago and the Province should be recognized for what it is. The Province should be acknowledged for their efforts for finally engaging, consulting and accommodating the local First Nations. But, they have failed to engage First Nations along the coast, up the rivers, creeks and streams and across the province.
And, the government has failed to follow through on a campaign promise to get open net fish farms out of the migratory routes of wild salmon. That was a missed opportunity this summer and one they can still accomplish. But, the longer they dither and fail to act, the less likely they will be able to keep that commitment to British Columbians.
Finally, there are many opportunities for the provincial government to meet with First Nations on this issue. There was a well attended Wild Salmon Summit held by the First Nations Leadership Council just last week. In addition, there is the annual Chiefs’ conference coming in November. This is the next perfect opportunity.
I am certain that there are a whole bunch of lawyers and advisors outlining why the government can’t act on this. They are probably suggesting that the whole Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation agenda is not possible. Well, it is possible. Government can act. Government must act.
B.C. GREEN CAUCUS
For immediate release
September 25, 2018
B.C. Green Caucus statement on extension to Broughton government-to-government discussions
VICTORIA, B.C. – Today Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, responded to the government’s announcement that they have extended negotiations with the ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis and Mamalilikulla First Nations.
“Only engaging First Nations with fish farms bolted to their traditional territory is the same divide-and-conquer colonial governance that this government has committed to moving away from,” said Adam Olsen, caucus spokesperson for wild salmon and Indigenous relations and reconciliation.
“While I honour and respect the rights of the ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis and Mamalilikulla First Nations to make decisions about their territory and for their people, it is the provincial government’s responsibility to also facilitate broader discussion with all Indigenous communities who are affected by open-pen fish farms.
“The province is pretending that salmon do not migrate thousands of kilometres across our province and through numerous Indigenous territories. I will use my community, the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nation, as an example. We don’t have any fish farms in our territory, but the salmon we have traditionally harvested migrate through the Broughton archipelago. The pre-Confederation Douglas Treaty protects our right to ‘hunt and fish as formerly.’ Government’s aquaculture policy has no recognition of the implications of fish farms on these rights.
“The reality is the B.C. NDP promised to transition open-pen fish farms out of migratory routes. With the support of our caucus, there is a majority of MLAs in the B.C. Legislature who campaigned on this commitment. We are supported by the vast majority of British Columbians who want this transition, as well as numerous industry groups and the UBCM, all who have issued calls to end open-pen fish farms over the past year.”
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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 778-650-0597 | jillian.oliver@leg.bc.ca
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