British Columbia will proceed toward plans to build the controversial Site C hydroelectric project in the Peace River Valley, Premier Gordon Campbell announced this morning. Read more…

Western Forest Products Ltd. is in negotiations that could see the company selling its Tree Farm Licence rights on southern Vancouver Island to the Pacheedaht First Nation and a private partner. Read more…

Taseko Mines Ltd. has failed in its bid to prevent a documentary about the Tsilhqot'in people's connection to Teztan Biny, or Fish Lake, from being shown at a public hearing on a mine proposal southwest of Williams Lake. Read more…

Showing the documentary Blue Gold to a federal panel reviewing Taseko Mines Ltd.'s proposal for a gold and copper mine near Williams Lake would help establish a tone of respect and mutual understanding, argues a lawyer acting for the Tsilhqot'in National Government.

“People are entitled to hold differences of opinions about the mine,” wrote Jay Nelson, a lawyer with the Victoria firm Woodward and Company, responding on behalf of the TNG to Taseko's bid to prevent the film from being shown at the hearings that start March 22. “Attacking differing opinions as 'propaganda' or 'bias' sets the wrong tone for proceedings that are already difficult and divisive.” Read more…

Taseko Mines Ltd. is seeking to prevent a federal panel reviewing its proposal for a gold and copper mine in northern British Columbia from showing a public hearing a documentary it says is biased in favour of the Tsilhqot'in First Nation, who are opposed to the project.

You can watch Blue Gold here. Read more…

It's much harder now for the provincial government to come up with money to protect former forest lands on Vancouver Island than it would have been two years ago, said community and rural development minister Bill Bennett.

“We're trying within pretty difficult context for government,” said Bennett. “A couple years ago this might not have been, I'm sure it wouldn't have been, such a big issue." Read more…

If the provincial government fails to participate in plans to protect former forest lands on southern Vancouver Island, it may find itself facing major environmental protests on the outskirts of the provincial capital.

That's the assessment of Gordon O'Connor who has been working on the file for the environmental group the Dogwood Initiative. “When 'please' just isn't being listened to this community is going to have to find some other way to protect its resources,” he said. “We're running out of options.” Read more…

On her blog today, Alexandra Morton published a letter from a former Norwegian attorney-general, warning that Norway is losing the fight against sea lice and B.C. is likely to lose too -- unless fish farms are moved away from wild-salmon migration routes. Read more…

In a protest against Norwegian-owned fish farm tenures in the Broughton Archipelago, the Executive of the B.C. Union of Indian Chiefs began a 29-hour fast this morning. Read more…

One cycling police officer told the Tyee that the crowd spanned for a solid three blocks. The Vancouver Sun estimates that 800 people attended, while the Canadian Press pegged the number closer to 1,200. Many repeat participants said it was the largest turnout they had ever seen. Read more…

Organizers of the annual Women's Memorial March on Feb. 14 hope this year's event will bring international attention to B.C.'s murdered and missing aboriginal women. Read more…

The economic pact between VANOC and the Four Host First Nations is the new standard for partnerships with Aboriginals, said the new National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Read more…

Ottawa has offered $145 million to settle two outstanding land claims filed by a band in southern Ontario.

Minister of Indian Affairs Chuck Strahl called the offer made Monday to the Mississaugas of the New Credit a major breakthrough in claim talks. Read more…

The federal government has been undermining its own environmental review process, according to a Supreme Court of Canada decision released Thursday that’s expected to affect future environmental assessments on resource development projects across the country. Read more…

The opportunity to paint an iconic pop symbol couldn’t be missed by one Cree-Métis artist.

Kim Stewart yesterday joined three other Aboriginal artists from across the province to unveil their artistic interpretations of the native experience through Coca-Cola bottles. Read more…

Metro Vancouver will likely push ahead with a plan to burn waste to produce energy, despite the province's approval this week to allow the Cache Creek landfill to expand, said Marvin Hunt, the chair of Metro Vancouver's waste management committee.

The plan will require approval from provincial environment minister Barry Penner, as will choosing a site when the time comes. “I would hope the minister would make it on the basis of scientific fact rather than rumor, gossip and innuendo,” said Hunt. Read more…

Environment minister Barry Penner and rural development minister Bill Bennett gave an environmental assessment certificate today to a landfill project run by a well-connected company that has made significant donations to the B.C. Liberal Party. Read more…

The B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development says it is “pleased” with an Aboriginal school completion rate of 49%. Read more…

Aboriginal people in Canada are infected with HIV/AIDS at a rate more than three times that of the rest of the population -- and without addressing the root causes like poverty, substance abuse and domestic violence, it's only going to get worse, say health and social workers. Read more…