RE: Time for a ChangeIt has been nearly a year since the Feds announced that they would not approve Prosperity - since this time - shareholders have not seen any improvement in the relationships that we have with the First Nations community.
As we all know the community's leadership was key in lobbying the Feds - remember that FNs can lobby directly to any Federal minister as they are exempt from lobbyist rules - as they negotiate and speak with the Feds on a nation to nation basis. Having this kind of access to ministers, deputy ministers and senior govt officials gives them a huge advantage over registered lobbyists. Also remember the Feds have a fiduciary obligations to FN people and their rights are protected in the Cdn Constitution.
it is also important to note that FN now number in excess of 800,000 people in Canada (they are the fastest growing segment of the population) - and they vote in blocks - BC has the largest FN population in Canada and so they are an important political group at the Provincial level - they also have land claims that are yet to be settled and recent court rulings support the duty to consult...
All this said....My greatest fear is that TKO mgt will continue to push Prosperity along without the endorsement of the FN community which is supported by their tribal council, their main political voice in BC - the powerful Union of BC Indians and the even more powerful Assembly of First Nations - the NGOs know all this and this is why they play with the leadership as they know this is the easiest way to stop development - however if our message of what Prosperity can really offer the people can get to the people in the community - we would be move forward in a positive way.
I know of many other mining companies that have built excellent relationships with FN and this relationship provides benefits to the companies, to the communities and shareholders (people like us who own the companies)...
Mgt needs to wake-up and look at how this issue can be solved.. Its time for a change....