Canada's native indians protest container port plans
Native Indians are protesting a container port project in Prince Rupert on Canada's Pacific Coast, saying they will not allow a container port to operate there until their land rights concerns have been duly addressed, news reports said.
A container handling facility is currently being built in Prince Rupert of the British Columbia in Canada and the first phase is expected to begin operations by the end of this year.
Two aboriginal bands have accused the federal government of failing to adequately consult them about the project before construction went ahead, said Reuters.
The Lax Kw'alaams and Matlakatla Indian bands said that a 2006 federal court ruling that the government had used a flawed process to address aboriginal claims that the project is rightfully part of their historic territories had been ignored.
Prince Rupert has been part of a government plan to handle increasing trade with Asia since 2004. An announcement was made to enhance Prince Rupert's throughput saying that the port is a day's sailing closer to Asia than ports on the US Pacific Coast. Canada's courts rule that governments and private companies have a duty to consult with aboriginal concerns over development on aboriginal historic territories. These native groups however do not have automatic veto power.
A container handling facility is currently being built in Prince Rupert of the British Columbia in Canada and the first phase is expected to begin operations by the end of this year.
Two aboriginal bands have accused the federal government of failing to adequately consult them about the project before construction went ahead, said Reuters.
The Lax Kw'alaams and Matlakatla Indian bands said that a 2006 federal court ruling that the government had used a flawed process to address aboriginal claims that the project is rightfully part of their historic territories had been ignored.
Prince Rupert has been part of a government plan to handle increasing trade with Asia since 2004. An announcement was made to enhance Prince Rupert's throughput saying that the port is a day's sailing closer to Asia than ports on the US Pacific Coast. Canada's courts rule that governments and private companies have a duty to consult with aboriginal concerns over development on aboriginal historic territories. These native groups however do not have automatic veto power.