I am writing in support of the Skwelkwek’welt Protection Center that has

been protecting Secwepemc lands and culture that is being destroyed by Sun

Peaks Resort.

It is clear that despite the fact that the Supreme Court of Canada has

recognized Aboriginal Title, and that the Canadian Constitution of 1982

protects Aboriginal Title as an Aboriginal Right yet your political

decision has been to extinguish Aboriginal Title. The recent Haida

decision added a legal duty government and industry to consult and

accommodate Aboriginal Title even before it has been proved. It is clear

that the recent endorsement by Canada and British Columbia of the $285

million dollar expansion of Sun Peaks is a deliberate and clear effort to

extinguish Aboriginal Title.

Negotiations under the present extinguishment policy and process is

failing (those negotiations have only been a benefit to those negotiators

who get a pay check from those funds for the last 10 years); that the

injunctions are not necessarily always conducive in balancing the

interests between business and Aboriginal Rights; and that full blown

court decision takes 10 to 14 years; and all of these remedies put

Secwepemc people at a decided disadvantage when dealing with the

governments that are committed to an out dated status quo of marginalizing

indigenous economic and cultural rights.

I reiterate the position of the Skwelkwek’welt Protection Center that

wants the expansion of Sun Peaks stopped and demand a new federal policy

that recognizes Aboriginal Title in line with the legal mandate to consult

and accommodate Aboriginal Title.

Yours sincerely,