THE CHIEF OF THE WEST MOBERLY FIRST NATION

in the Peace Valley has vowed to ensure work on Site C dam will not proceed. Chief Roland Willson said he’s prepared to file an injunction seeking a stop-work order until a court challenge on the controversial hydroelectric dam is heard. His comments were made during an anti Site C dam event held in Vancouver in May.

BC Hydro has announced the contract that will see the south bank of the Peace River at the area of Site-C cleared of trees. The contract was awarded to a First Nations contractor, which prompted some to speculate on possible divide and conquer tactics being employed.

The proponent says the project will provide green energy, producing 1,100 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 450,000 homes, but many speculate that Site C is being constructed to fuel fracking operations for natural gas extraction for the province’s promised LNG industry. It will be the third dam on the Peace River.

Chief Willson also took his complaint to the B.C. legislature with 90 kilograms of bull trout packed in coolers. He said the fish was contaminated with mercury. A recent study commissioned by the nation concluded 98 per cent of fish samples contained mercury levels above provincial guidelines. The 57 fish studied were taken from the Crooked River, where fish migrate from the Williston Lake reservoir, created as part of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam. Willson said similar contamination could result from the $9-billion Site C dam. He called approval of the dam a mistake. “It’s a stupid idea,” he said.