Shut Down Imperial Metals' Red Chris Mine!

Dear Friends, Thank you for signing our petition, supporting us Klabona Keepers protecting our territories, including the Sacred Headwaters, in Northern British Columbia. We are writing to you now with an update and an urgent call for further support. You might know about the Mt. Polley tailings pond breach in June of this year, on Secwepemc territory, near Quesnel, BC. The government of British Columbia failed to enforce its own regulations when problems with the dam were reported long time ago. When that dam broke, the flood of toxic chemicals and sludge from that mine destroyed lands and forest for miles downstream. Imperial Metals still is not cleaning up that spill, and now it continues to contaminate the major salmon-bearing river system downstream – including the Fraser River. Imperial Metals, the same company responsible for the Mt. Polley disaster, is building the Red Chris mine in Tahltan territory, with a tailings pond of the same design as the one that broke down at Mt. Polley. A breach at Red Chris would send toxic waste downstream through chains of lakes and rivers to the major Salmon-bearing watershed of the Stikine River and through South-east Alaska (the 'Panhandle') and into the North Pacific Ocean. We, and many other people, depend on the health of the Stikine river and forest for our fish and our meat; it is very important part of our culture, that we pass on to our children and to our grandchildren. People and the government of Alaska also are concerned about the risk of water contamination from Red Chris and damage to coastal fisheries. ( http://seacc.org/mining/transboundary-mines/red-chris-mine ) Right now, Klabona Keepers and supporters are blockading the entrances to Red Chris Mine; we are demanding that Red Chris mine be shut down. Imperial Metals has applied for a court injunction to have our blockade removed, so they can continue their mining activities, threatening the land, the lakes and rivers, the salmon, and our way of living. That application will be heard in court in Vancouver, BC, on Wednesday, October 8/14 at 10:00am. In September 2005, Tahltan Elders were arrested in the struggle to prevent Fortune Minerals’ from destroying Klappan Mountain for an open pit coal mine, threatening the Sacred Headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena, and Nass Rivers. Our Elders were arrested then when an RCMP injunction was granted against our blockade. This could happen again, tomorrow – Tahltan people might be arrested for protecting our un-ceded lands (legally our land to protect, by Royal Proclamation, 1763) from permanent harm by an irresponsible mining company, Imperial Metals. Our supporters in Vancouver and in Victoria, BC are organizing rallies, at the Vancouver Court House, and at the BC Legislature, to show support for Klabona Keepers, and for the need for safe mining practices in BC, and the need for government monitoring and enforcing its own regulations. Please see the event pages on Facebook: Vancouver Court House: https://www.facebook.com/events/327400990771205/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming Victoria BC Legislature: https://www.facebook.com/events/657909500975032/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming Please see our webpage at: www.theklabonakeepers.com and our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/klabonakeepers?fref=ts , including ways you can support us in protecting this very special region in our world environment. . Also, please show your support for us by phoning and writing to these people as soon as possible, and telling them your concerns: Government of British Columbia: Hon. Christy Clark, Premier Constituency Office: 250 768-8426; Fax: 250 768-8436 Victoria Office: 250 387-1715; Toll Free: 1 (800) 663-7867 (ask for Hon. Christy Clark's office); Fax: 250 387-0087 E-mail: premier@gov.bc.ca Hon. Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines Constituency Office: Toll Free: (866) 417-6022; Fax: (250) 417-6026 Victoria Office: (250) 387-5896; Toll Free: 1 (800) 663-7867 (ask for Hon. Bill Bennett's office); Fax: (250) 356-2965 Email: bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca Hon. John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relationships and Reconciliation Constituency Office: Toll Free: (877) 964-5650; Fax: (250) 567-6822 Victoria Office: (250) 953-4844; Toll Free: (800) 663-7867 (ask for Hon. John Rustad's office) Email: john.rustad.mla@leg.bc.ca Imperial Metals: Brian Kynoch, President, Pierre Lebel, Chairman, Board of Directors, Imperial Metals Corporation 580 Hornby Street, Suite 200 Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6 Phone: (604) 669-8959 Email: inquiries@imperialmetals.com Medu (Thank you). We are strong, as we stand together. (for) Rhoda Quock, Klabona Keepers email: quockrhoda@gmail.com or SacredHeadwaters@shaw.ca