Provincial ministers released a joint statement with shíshálh Nation lhe hiwus yalxwemult (Chief Lenora Joe) Friday afternoon denouncing "inflammatory and disrespectful statements and death threats" made during the public comment period for the shíshálh swiya Dock Management Plan (DMP).
The statement comes a week after shíshálh Nation first released a statement calling out "misleading, inflammatory, and disrespectful," social media posts, as well as the defacement of a long house in the Garden Bay area with a confrontational sign.
The Jan. 26 statement was jointly released by Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship; Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and lhe hiwus yalxwemult.
"We recognize this is a small minority of people who hold hateful views," read the joint statement. "Our governments condemn these threats and tactics in the strongest possible terms. We extend our sympathies to those affected by the threats and we affirm our support to all members of shíshálh Nation."
The statement also comes a day after Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons released his own condemnation of disrespectful public reaction.
The joint Jan. 26 statement with the provincial ministers goes on to say that the province and shíshálh Nation "are committed to a meaningful public engagement process" and that the "vast majority of members of the public have taken the time to provide constructive, important feedback and comments for consideration on proposed amendments to the plan." It adds that submissions with racist remarks will not be reviewed or considered in subsequent steps of the DMP process.
"Both parties are committed to addressing racism and to ensuring this engagement process is anti-racist and safeguards humans rights. Vandalism and racism have no place whatsoever in British Columbia's political discourse, on Sunshine Coast or anywhere else," says the statement.
Proposed changes to what was the Pender Harbour Dock Management Plan – now expanded to encompass the shíshálh swiya and renamed as such –, dropped in late November. The public comment period for those changes closes Feb. 16. The plan is subject to a joint decision making process between the province and shíshálh Nation and part of the implementation of the 2018 Foundation Agreement.
A summary "What we have heard so far" document regarding the DMP consultation will be released in a couple of weeks, said the Jan. 26 statement. "Comments received after the summary document is shared will be reviewed and added to information shared with decision-makers. Your contributions during this public engagement will be given full consideration and will assist our governments in determining next steps and continued implementation of dock management in the swiya."
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the statement was made by federal ministers – they were in fact, provincial ministers.
