Peaks protesters remain

Kamloops This Week
September 8, 2004

  File photo
A Sun Peaks protester is shown in this 2001 Kamloops This Week photo.
After two years of relative peace at the resort, some First Nations
members again began visible protests on Aug. 29. RCMP is now armed with an
injunction and an enforcement order that could be used to forcibly remove
the protesters.


By DANNA JOHNSON
Staff reporter

RCMP are now armed with a court injunction barring protesters from Sun
Peaks Resort, and an enforcement order allowing police to forcibly remove
them.
But Sgt. Brian O'Callaghan said nothing is likely to happen on the
mountain until later this week should the protesters remain.
The protest began Aug. 29 and was organized by a group of local First
Nations people, the Council of Canadians and the Union of British Columbia
Indian Chiefs. The property Sun Peaks Resort sits on is part of a land
claims dispute and protesters want to see the $285 million expansion of
the resort halted.
Right now protesters are camped along what will eventually be the 16th
fairway of the golf course.
They're not impacting business at the resort, said tourism executive
director Christopher Nicholson.
"They're in a remote part of the valley that visitors don't even access."
Anywhere from three to seven people are regularly at the camp, he said.
Now it's up to the RCMP to remove the group if deemed necessary.
"There's absolutely nothing [the resort] can do.
"The long term issue is resolving land claims . . . We want a long-term
resolution of the land claims. That is one of our province's biggest
priorities, or at least it should be."