The Tsilhqot’in National Government released a full report with calls to action in relation to the Chilcotin River Landslide in the Summer of 2024.
It investigated responsibilities to land, threats to salmon, collaboration in emergency management, and protocols and jurisdiction in emergency response.
TNG Vice-Chair Chief Otis Guichon stated “The Tsilhqot’in Nation continues to face emergency situations within our territory. This report that we are releasing is meant to inform future actions, record the experiences of our Nation, and push for needed change.”
The TNG said several distinct calls to action on the Province and Canada are outlined in the report findings.
Establish core funding for a Tsilhqot’in “Emergency Reserve Fund” and Land Restoration Fund” to implement urgent emergency response and recovery actions with less financial risk.
Build on the success of the Emergency Salmon Task Force by transitioning it into a long term arrangement for harnessing strong technical expertise in support of the exercise of Tsilhqot’in jurisdiction and by aligning relevant areas of provincial and federal regulation with Task Force work.
Integrate consultation, cooperation and consent-based protocols across all government departments to ensure Indigenous jurisdiction is respected even in urgent emergency response and regardless of which government entities are enlisted in response.
“The Chilcotin River Landslide was not unique to our people.” Tl’esqox First Nation Chief Francis Laceese stated in a release, “We have seen landslides in this area before just not to this scale. When the water stopped flowing in our territory, we knew there would be massive impacts upstream and downstream.”
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