First Nations Consultation on the Maiyoo Keyoh

In February 2007, Canadian Forest Products Ltd. informed the Nak’azdli Indian Band that it planned to salvage forest stands killed by the mountain pine beetle in part of the Fort St. James Forest District. The Ministry of Forests and Range asked to consult with the Band about the potential effects of harvesting, road construction and other forest practices so as to resolve potential impacts to aboriginal interests and, if necessary, accommodate potential infringement.

The Band and members of a First Nations extended family in the area explained that the Band, as a whole, has almost no authority to consult about resources on the family-used area, because it was recognized that the family had traditional authority there, even though family members are also registered band members.

The head of the family in question asked MFR to fully assess, explain and justify what she perceived as potential infringement of the proposed forest practices on the family’s aboriginal interests in the area, and to compensate the family for any infringement.