Salmon Dance On The Brunette River

Here is a great video of Salmon spawning in the Brunette river taken in October 2009 in the urban area of New Westminster BC. This is good news because the river is so close to a dense urban area.

However the key point here is an illustration of how development can not only harm the environment, but completely destroy Salmon bearing creeks, streams, and rivers.

A ski resort in the Cayoosh would devastate the environment, and have a disastrous effect on the waters that flow down from the Melvin Creek Valley through the watercourses that flow from it.

Indigenous Peoples that live in St'at'imc Territory depend upon Salmon as a food source as they have for thousands of years. Thoughtless and ill planned development within this pristine wilderness environment would result in the loss of an important source of food which cannot be tolerated.

Cayoosh Mountain Range Aerial View

Mountain Lion's Mountain Blog
Photo By Joey Only

Above is a great aerial image of the Cayoosh Mountain Range that I just had to share with you courtesy of Joey Only who has hiked extensively in the area and visited the Sutikalh Camp.

Visiting the Cayoosh always takes my breath away, the beauty of this pristine mountain wilderness is breathtaking.

On his blog Joey explains that he is Anti-Copyright, so I don't think he will mind if I use his photo. He writes a great story about his opposition to the proposed ski resort in Melvin Creek Valley.
Thanks Joey.

Virtual Summit On H1N1 In First Nations Communities

Assembly Of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo and Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq held a Virtual Summit today on the Internet from 12:00 to 2:00 EST, with the purpose of dealing with a number of issues related to the current H1N1 pandemic as it affects First Nations Peoples.

The primary list of issues they addressed according to the Virtual Summit On H1N1 In First Nations Communities website were;

• Preparations and activities underway to deal with the second wave of H1N1 in First Nation Communities.
• Recent developments on H1N1
• Distributions on vaccines and antiviral drugs in First Nations Communities.
• Profiles on First Nations Communities on their planning and preparedness efforts.
• Interactive youth and expert panel discussion.

Although you may have missed this broadcast as I did, you can view the two hour telecast November 12, 2009 on the Internet by clicking on this link Virtual Summit On H1N1 In First Nation Communities.

Shawn Atleo was just interviewed on CBC Power and Politics (link to download podcast) 30 minutes ago and some of the many points that he spoke about were:

One in Five First Nations people do not have access to, or the ability to travel to a doctor or a clinic to get the flu shot.

First Nations peoples as a result of poverty on reserves, and in communities outside of reserves are more likely to get the virus because of poor health.

With respect to the visit of Prince Charles and Camila in Canada right now, Atleo reminded us that there are numerous treaties between First Nations peoples and the Government of Canada which are still valid and in force, and were signed by Queen Victoria many years ago.

My last comment is that it has been reported today on CBC news that Taliban detainees in Afghanistan are receiving the H1N1 flu shot ahead of all of us particularly First Nations peoples.

Unrepentant-Kevin Annett And Canada's Genocide Documentary

The is a very compelling video documentary on the atrocities of the Residential School system that Canadian Aboriginals across the country were forced to attend against their will by the Canadian government, and the struggle of United Church priest Kevin Annett with trying to heal members of his community, and being tormented and rebuked by the United Church for helping members of his congregation in need.

Hereditary Chief Ken Peters and others of the St'at'imc nation were taken from their parents and forced to reside in Residential Schools, and have suffered greatly from the experience.

In this darkest period in Canadian history, Aboriginal peoples were physically and mentally abused and even murdered, and Aboriginal lands were sold by the the church to corporate interests without their permission. And to this day the perpetrators of these crimes have never been prosecuted under the laws of this country for the atrocities that were committed against Indigenous Peoples.

Download the Unrepentent-Kevin Annet And Canada's Genocide here.

Kevin Annett Website Hidden From History

If you were a victim of the Residential School atrocities and feel up to it please contact us at sutikalh@gmail.com and tell your story, and we will publish it on this blog.