Global firm apologizes to B.C. First Nation for damage caused by copper mine
Quatsino First Nation’s community hall was full on Tuesday evening as BHP made a public apology to the nation regarding the Island Copper Mine’s operations. Kate Sommerville speaks to the Quatsino First Nation on behalf of BHP.
During its 24 years of existence, the mine removed roughly one billion tonnes of ore, before it eventually closed in 1995 and then flooded with ocean water. No royalties were paid to the Quatsino First Nation, and there was no consultation on the project that ultimately destroyed much of the sea life around the beach in front of their village.
“Today I’m honoured and humbled by this invitation to be with you all, and my hope is to convey this sincerity that underlies our visit to your community,” Kate Sommerville, BHP’s general manager, legacy assets, said to the crowd of Quatsino First Nation residents who were in attendance at the community hall. “This is the first visit with you, we hope the first of many.”
Sommerville added BHP deeply regrets the mine’s lack of consultation and involvement with the Quatsino First Nation that has affected their community. She stated past practices at the mine “fell short of the standard of which we aspire to today, and this led to a relationship of mistrust that hindered the development of a collaborative relationship between BHP and the Quatsino First Nation.”
Chief Tom Nelson spoke later on that night about how after the mine had started operation, the Quatsino people were left with nowhere to go to harvest food sources. “We do have a lot to talk about with BHP to compensate us [for] what we lost, and in the next few days we will be having some heavy duty meetings to discuss [compensation] with BHP,” added Nelson.
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