Heiltsuk First Nation says oil spill underlines lack of federal commitment
VANCOUVER — The federal government’s commitment to First Nations has been criticized in a report from a British Columbia First Nation after last year’s sinking of a tug in the waters off the renowned Great Bear Rainforest.
The Heiltsuk Tribal Council report released Thursday found failures in Canada’s emergency response measures were evident within hours of the grounding of the Nathan E. Stewart on Oct. 13, 2016.
It examined the first 48 hours of the emergency, which began when the vessel pushing an empty barge missed at least one course change and hit rocks west of Bella Bella, causing a spill of more than 110,000 litres of diesel.
Heiltsuk Chief Marilyn Slett said the tribal council encountered a lack of co-operation from the government and the owner of the tug throughout the incident, forcing the First Nation to launch its own investigation in order to answer questions from the community.