Jay Nelson has a unique perspective on the new Canadian Environmental Assessment act, 2012 (CEAA 2012).  Jay has been representing the Tsilhqot’in National Government (TNG) in the current environmental assessment (EA) of the controversial New Prosperity mine project at Fish Lake (Teztan Biny) in BC’s Chilcotin Region, and so has been grappling with how CEAA 2012 works on the ground.

On November 2nd,  Jim Prentice, then the Minister of Environment, refused to issue an environmental assessment certificate to Taseko Mines Ltd. to allow the company to build its controversial Prosperity Mine.  The project would have destroyed Teztan Biny/Fish Lake, as well as a second smaller lake, and was strongly opposed by the  Tsilhqot’in National Government and the environmental community, including West Coast Environmental Law. 

Taseko Mines is hoping that Prime Minister Harper will give the go ahead for its controversial Prosperity Mine at Fish Lake (Teztan Biny) in Tsilhqot'in Territory – in the form of an environmental assessment certificate which could be granted at any time).  West Coast has suggested that this decision is a test of the integrity of the Canadian Environme