Tell the BC government to pull the pipes from Quesnel Lake | View in browser.

Dear John,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy and supported at this time. During this time of crisis, I've been reflecting on how interconnected we are, and how our governments play a vital role in protecting our health and well-being, particularly for those who are at the greatest risk of harm.

That’s why the Indigenous peoples and area residents of Quesnel Lake, BC have been on my mind. The 2014 Mount Polley disaster is a devastating reminder of what can go wrong when governments fail to protect people from harm.

For the people of Quesnel Lake, waking to the news that the copper mine's tailings pond had collapsed was the start of a long nightmare — one that continued on February 1st, when the BC government amended the company's permit to allow it to continue dumping mine wastewater into Quesnel Lake until the end of 2022.

This is unacceptable. Please join Indigenous peoples and area residents to call on the BC government to pull the pipes from Quesnel Lake now.

Quesnel Lake – or Yuct Ne Senixymetkwe in the Secwepemc language – is a deep, fjord lake nestled inside a rare interior rainforest in central British Columbia.

The area is spiritually and culturally important to the Secwepemc people, one of the original peoples who have lived in the area for thousands of years. These waters are an important ‘incubator’ for wild salmon, and a delicate ecosystem for a host of wild game, medicines and berries.

The disaster has already had long-term consequences for those who rely on Quesnel Lake for food, livelihoods and cultural practices. Five and a half years after the disaster, the area has not fully recovered. Remediation efforts did not remove toxic tailings sediment from the lake, and locals worry that any water or fish they consume from the lake will make them sick.

The province has failed to levy any fines, press any charges, or prosecute the company. BC taxpayers have carried the cost of much of the disaster clean-up. Two United Nations bodies have called on Canada to bring those responsible for the disaster to justice.

The communities say they are tired of being ignored by the government. Please urge the BC government to live up to its obligations to protect Indigenous rights, support communities and safeguard water.

Secwepemc and Nuxalk activist Nuskmata (Jacinda Mack) says she and her family will never stop speaking out for justice for Quesnel Lake and for the rights of Indigenous peoples to be upheld and respected by government and companies:

“We are in crisis, as are the salmon, the moose, and the water for our children. I want to be able to look my children and grandchildren in the eye and to say that I did all I could to protect the land and the water.”

Thank you for taking action today in solidarity with Nuskmata and her family, and all those deeply affected by this ongoing crisis.

Yours in solidarity,

Tara Scurr
Business & Human Rights Campaigner
Amnesty International Canada

P.S. The aftermath of the Mount Polley disaster sends a message to mining companies that they can cause environmental and human rights harms and get away with it. Please tell the BC government to pull the pipes from Quesnel Lake and stop the pollution now!