GITXSAN TERRITORY / HAZELTON, B.C. – The Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs have sent a sharply worded open letter to the Premier of British Columbia, expressing “complete indignation” over two new provincial bills they say will fast-track major projects at the expense of Indigenous rights and environmental oversight.
The letter, dated June 20, targets Bill 14 (Renewable Energy Projects) and Bill 15 (Infrastructure Projects Act). The chiefs argue the new legislation grants “discretionary powers” to the provincial cabinet to expedite approvals and exempt certain projects from proper environmental assessment, which they call a violation of their rights and title.
“Environmental assessments are not simply bureaucratic hurdles—they are essential tools to ensure transparency, accountability, and consensus-building,” the letter states. “Without robust consultation frameworks, Bills 14 and 15 risk exacerbating the historical injustices faced by Indigenous people and further endanger the fragile trust built through reconciliation efforts.”
The Gitxsan leadership invokes the landmark 1997 Delgamuukw Supreme Court of Canada decision, which affirmed their rights and title over their 33,000 square kilometre traditional territory (Laxyip). They state that the new bills undermine their authority to decide who may come onto their lands and what major projects can be forced upon them.
The letter serves as a formal warning to the provincial government, urging them to “cease the implementation” of the bills and engage in “open, transparent, and meaningful dialogue.”
“Gitxsan will not be railroaded by knee-jerk reactions to temporary geo-political pressures,” the letter concludes. “Nor will we abide by trespass on our lands by big corporations using injunctions to deploy a militarized RCMP to terrorize Gitxsan people and extinguish our Wilaloo (way of life).”
The letter represents a significant challenge to the province’s new legislative direction and signals potential for future conflict over resource and infrastructure projects in the Skeena region.
