Tribal Council Feeling Ignored By Nuclear Industry

Tribal Council Feeling Ignored By Nuclear Industry

Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 13:13

 

 

The Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs are wondering what it will take to get the nuclear industry to honour the duty to consult.

 

BATC executive director Neil Sasakamoose says the tribal council wasn’t consulted about the possibility of a nuclear power plant being built in the Battlefords — nor were BATC representatives invited on a recent tour of nuclear facilities in Ontario.

 

Sasakamoose says his organization won’t likely be attending public meetings on the nuclear industry in the Battlefords — and that hasn’t happened yet.

 

He says that’s because, under the duty to consult, representatives of the industry are supposed to meet directly with First Nations.

 

The mayors of Battleford and North Battleford say they’d like to explore the possibility of building a nuclear power plant in the Battlefords.

 

They say it could bring at least 1,000 good-paying jobs to the community.

 

The mayors of Prince Albert and Lloydminster would also like the plant in their communities.

 

Representatives of the Battlefords Tribal Council could not be reached for comment.