Photo copyright Patrice Halley

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Tse Keh Nay

“I’d like to really stress the importance of our existence and how we relate to the land.  Why’s it so important that Amazay Lake must not be destroyed at any cost.  Number one, it’s against our laws and principles as Tse Keh Nay people, because we respect all living things.  And water is one of the main source that provides a living existence for the human race.  We honour the water.  And so we ask the government, the federal government, the BC government, to do the same thing as we are doing, to protect the land for what it is, not only for us but for our future generation.  People know that this world is – in some places, there’s major crisis in environment, in water, in the land, where the land can’t produce food or any water or any of that stuff anymore.  Canada may be one of the last place where we have a vast amount of land and water at our disposal, and it’s time – may be a little late, but we should now be protecting those environment.  Water is not a renewable resource.  Once it’s destroyed, it’s destroyed.  You cannot make it better or bring it back to life.  With those thoughts in mind, I think everybody has a responsibility to protect what is there, not only for us now but for our future generation. “ 

--Grand Chief Gordon Pierre, presentation ‘under protest’ to the Kemess North Joint Federal-Provincial Review Panel Hearings, Smithers, May 2007

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