Dear Editor:
Jumbo Wild voices express only ovations for the intrepid Citizens for Democracy campers, who were well within the letter of the law as they successfully hindered all attempts by the proposed Jumbo Resort personnel to make any progress toward their intended goal of conducting public activities on the Farnham Glacier, one of the four glaciers assigned to the Jumbo Resort development proposal.
Wolverines are extremely sensitive to human encroachment in their habitat and are becoming the benchmark species for large connected ecosystem preservation. (Males need 1,500 square kilometres each.) If we can meet their survival needs, we should be able to meet those of many other species. Currently, wolverines are federally listed in Western Canada as a Species of Special Concern and the U.S. is considering listing them as Endangered.
Where are they? Whats their population? Ground DNA identification was done from the Southern Purcells up to the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy.
(Ground studies also were done in the Selkirks and Rockies.) Going further north of the conservancy, including the Jumbo area, rough terrain demands helicopters. But theres no helicopter money.
Studies show wolverines within large undisturbed areas: outside those areas, little to none. The Jumbo area is considered perfect habitat. In the recent past, wolverines were identified there. The province responded to the West Kootenay Eco-Societys Judicial Review, which challenges government creating the Jumbo Mountain Resort Municipality without residents. Now it is up to the society to respond. No court time is scheduled.
The Ktunaxa Nations Judicial Review was allotted two weeks in Vancouver Supreme Court. The judge, now out of sight, is deliberating lawyers submissions plus additional information no doubt. Judicial reviews are known to have long timelines.
Government lawyers posited that the Ktunaxa were not emphatic enough about the cultural and spiritual importance of the Jumbo area. Ktunaxa lawyers posited that the Ktunaxa have strongly asserted the Jumbo area holds environmental, cultural and spiritual values for their nation. They have consistently reiterated their opposition to the resort development proposal since it was originally announced and reiterated continuously outside of, and within, governments consultation process.
Mitigating environmental values was predominantly the subject of the Consultation Process. I maintain it is impossible to mitigate environmental values, much less cultural and spiritual values how can consistent opposition do more than reiterate?
In 2012 it became clear to government that the Ktunaxa were firm in their opposition so it signed the Master Development Agreement. Immediately the Ktunaxa made their historic journey to Victoria officially presenting their QatMuk Declaration – nation to nation.
Rowena Eloise
Argenta
West Kootenay Coalition
for Jumbo Wild
