Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations want Whistler’s Official Community Plan overturned

Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations want Whistler’s Official Community Plan overturned. The nations have initiated legal action in BC’s Supreme Court for a judicial review of the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Bill Bennett’s recent decision to approve the OCP. The decision was made just prior to the writ being dropped in the provincial election. The petition filed in court states: “The Minister erred in ending the consultation unilaterally to meet electoral deadlines — the imminent election and his political interests constituted an irrelevant and improper consideration and were contrary to the honour of the Crown.” Lil’wat Chief Lucinda Phillips said in a press release “We have been forced into this action against the province … despite our desire to achieve a negotiated agreement all along… This OCP does not provide Lil’wat with any opportunity to participate in the future economic growth of the resort. Whistler was formed, grew and prospered in the core of our territory without our consent or input. Our members were removed from the area and we lacked the legal protections and economic means to participate in the development. We have been blocked out of Whistler’s development for the past 40 years.”