Simpcw First Nation is focused forward towards a sustainable future, Kukpi7 (chief) George Lampreau told Black Press on Saturday, Nov. 23.
“A lot of what we’ve got going on right now is internal policy review while making sure our policies are up to date," he said. "We continue to move forward, having just had community territorial planning over the weekend on how we will manage our whole territory."
They are still moving their stewardship plan forward, which has been adopted by chief and council and sets out how they want to manage things in Simpcw territory.
Lampreau said now that the government is developing a forest landscape plan, his community has put them on notice as to how they fit into the plans they have developed.
"For us at Simpcw, gone are the days of government coming in and telling us what they are going to do," Kukpi7 Lampreau said. "There is no prior consultation or working with us and they will come and tell us what they are going to do? That’s not going to happen.”
Kukpi7 Lampreau confirmed Simpcw will continue to work with their “neighbours” in Barriere, Clearwater, Valemount and McBride to ensure the forest industry is successful.
“With the way it’s going with the province it isn’t looking like it’s going to be successful when they are too slow in approving and making sure there is enough fibre flow. That’s the direction Simpcw is going to take in this term while I’m chief as we take on the role of permitting for forestry within our territory.”
Simpcw also plans on issuing a permit to a Simpcw community member to go get logs to build his home.
"Even though the province says, you can’t do that where there is forest tenure, all of that doesn’t matter to us," Kukpi7 Lampreau said. “We are going to issue the permit and support our member in getting the logs from wherever they want and if the government wants to challenge that we are up for that too.”
It will be a “test pilot” and then they will review how they will work in conjunction with government on approving and bringing out cutting permits, he added.
“My ultimate goal as leader of Simpcw is to take on that role. We are also going to follow up with wildfire mitigation with Valemount right away because some of our own planning staff believe that would be a better project to do during the winter months and hopefully we can make that happen with mayor Torgerson of Valemount in his community. It would be a good joint effort in doing some cultural burning to protect his community there.”
Simpcw is also still planning to open a cultural display in Jasper that had been set to happen last year, but due to the wildfire in the summer that devastated the town it was postponed.
The chief is not impressed with the terminology used in the official government apology issued saying Simpcw was originally “displaced” when his nation is firm on the wording being “forcefully removed.”
“The government is forgetting the truest part about it is the truth in the reconciliation process. Without the truth we’re not doing our own history justice by watering it down, just so it’s sounds better to the general public and parks.”
Simpcw is planning on continuing with the building of the traditional winter homes in the original home territory in the near future.
The nation recently purchased a large 1,300-acre ranch land property not far from the Simpcw home village of Chu Chua just outside of Barriere with plans for future farming to benefit the members.
“We hope to improve our food security even further with this property such as constructing green or hot houses and raising animals for meat for the village to provide a consistent source of food for our members," Kukpi7 Lampreau said, adding he hopes to “implement a quarterly distribution to supply meat to our own members” as a way to supplement the community’s resources as well as offering another form of employment to members that may be interested in farming as well.
When asked about working with community forest groups in Barriere and Clearwater, Lampreau said, “We are continuing to work ahead with those partners following the value-added tour last year on the Fibre Flow group. We will be hiring Paul Rasmussen who used to work in the ministry of forests, and we plan to engage him to help move the Fibre Flow Initiative forward.”
Black Press had the opportunity on Nov. 23 to ask the president of the Wells Gray Community Forest Corporation, (WGCFC) Brent Buck about the Fibre Flow working group initiative following the conversation with Kukpi7 Lampreau.
“It is now more important than ever to ensure that the resources that originate in this valley contribute to the well-being of all its citizens," Buck said. "We are fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful and naturally rich areas of world. It is critical that we utilize as much of this fibre in as many different, efficient, and effective ways to benefit the North Thompson and Robson Valleys to the fullest.
“Far too much of our resource is being skimmed to fill larger pockets elsewhere. A conscientious effort to balance and protect the use of these commodities within our local areas is critical to our sustainability. We are proud to be active participants in the effort to collaborate on and implement new initiatives.”
Lampreau is hopeful for the future of “collaborative partnerships” such as the one with the upcoming Fibre Flow Initiative involving community forests and other partners in the valley and said on behalf of chief and council, “We listen to what the people want as we build a better future for everyone in the North Thompson Valley.”
