Taseko

News release: (Tŝilhqot’in Territory) The Tŝilhqot’in National Government is shocked that Taseko Mines Ltd. (TML) has launched a defamation suit against an environmental group for questioning the company’s claims that its ‘new’ Prosperity Mine proposal addresses all concerns and will save Teztan Biny (Fish Lake).

Each year, mining companies dump more than 180 million tonnes of hazardous mine waste into rivers, lakes, and oceans worldwide, threatening vital bodies of water with toxic heavy metals and other chemicals poisonous to humans and wildlife, according to report released today by two leading mining reform groups.

Statement: Today marks the anniversary of the Federal Government’s decision rejecting the Prosperity Mine proposal and protecting the environment, waters, fish and fish habitat, grizzly and grizzly habitat and our constitutionally protected rights as First Peoples in our homelands. Once again, we thank the Minister of Environment Jim Prentice and the Federal Government for protecting the public interest and for upholding the rights of First Nations under the Canadian Constitution. Unfortunately, this dire threat to our people, our lands and our way of life as Tsilhqot’in people continues to this day.

In October 2011, representatives of the Tsilhqot'in National Government visited Ottawa to tell elected officials and federal bureaucrats that the "new" proposal by Taseko Mines for their proposed Prosperity Mine was equally as dangerous as the original version turned down in November 2010.

In November 2011, the federal government granted the company a review of its re-worked proposal.