St. Mary's chief vows to fight mine project 'at all costs'
Northcliff Resources is proposing a tungsten mine northwest of Fredericton
A group of citizens from the St. Mary's First Nation occupied an area about 100 kilometres northwest of Fredericton on Thursday in an effort to block a proposed open pit mine.
Northcliff Resources has proposed the construction and operation of an open pit tungsten and molybdenum mine at Sisson Brook.
The mine could eventually create 200 to 300 jobs, but protesters on Thursday said they want the area, which they used for hunting and fishing, left alone.
"Jobs and things are great, but, not at the cost of the environment. And that is the message we want to send today," said St. Mary’s First Nation Chief Candace Paul.
Paul and the other members of the St. Mary’s First Nation travelled to the site from their community, which is located in the city of Fredericton.
Angela Acquin said the fact her community is located in an urban area makes the protection of the rural landscape so important to her.
"It's different with us, we're a city, we're in the middle of a city, so for community members to come out and have that reconnection to the land," she said.
"I'm hoping with that we'll be able to stir up enough emotion in people and stir up enough of that grounding to their traditional territories, that they won't let that happen."
Northcliff Resources filed its environmental impact assessment at the end of July. Protesters say they are now waiting for the federal government to post it for public feedback.
In June, the company said it was seeking a "social licence" with local First Nations groups so it could move forward with the project.
The mining company signed an environmental assessment review and capacity funding agreement with the St. Mary's First Nation, the Woodstock First Nation and the Assembly of First Nation Chiefs in New Brunswick.
An official said his company has been meeting with First Nations communities since 2010.
However, the St. Mary's chief said she plans to fight the proposed mine "at all costs."
"We will have to do what we have to do. This is our traditional land," she said.
