TŜILHQOT’IN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

253 – 4th Avenue North - Williams Lake, BC V2G 4T4 - Phone (250) 392-3918 - Fax (250) 398-5798

Media Release – August 27, 2018

Stands Strong Despite BC Supreme Court Setback

Williams Lake, BC: The T Nation is calling on the BC Government to step up in the wake of the
B.C. Supreme C ur s ru g de y g e Na s ega c a e ge seek g ver ur a m g
exploration permit granted to Taseko Mines Ltd. (TML).

The permit approves an extensive drilling, road building and excavation program by TML that purports
to advance its rejected New Prosperity Mine project. The permit authorizes TML to clear 76 kilometres
of new or modified road and trail, 122 drill holes, 367 excavated test pits and 20 kilometres of seismic
lines near e a y s ake a d Na as, an area of cultural and spiritual significance for the
. The Government of Canada rejected TML s New Pr sper y m e pr p sa 2014, a d e
mine cannot legally be built as matters stand. Two independent federal panels have confirmed the area
s f u ue a d spec a mp r a ce e , a d s was a arge fac r w u precede ted
federal rejections of a mine in this location.

e are m u g a pu c campa g ca e CN P d erg g In 2017 a

petition to the Premier had over 8,000 signatures. There is a new opportunity for the public to pledge
their support for the Dasiqox Tribal Park, a a ve f Xe Gwe a d Yu es pr ec s
critical area for future generations. The pledge can be found at http://dasiqox.org/support-us/take-
action/.

e Na s ex reme y d sapp ed and concerned that TML now intends to carry out the
drilling program as early as this week. The Nation will be reviewing all options to protect this critical
cultural area.

The drilling work is in direct violation of e curre C N P g ver me s ma da e g ve y Prem er

H rga every M s er s ma da e letter issued in July 2017, e curre edera G ver me s
commitment to fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(UNDRIP) at the UN General Assembly in August 2016, and the Tru a d Rec c a C mm ss s
(TRC) Calls to Action.

Quotes:

s ʔ s
“T e Na w ot stand by as Taseko Mines Ltd. moves forward with a drilling program for
a mine that was rejected twice by the Federal Government and cannot be built. Drilling and exploration
w rk a e tan Biny stands to destroy centuries of sacred and protected sites that are integral to the
preservation of in culture. We are disappointed that the courts did not see through the
sm kescree , s dec s s a u Prosperity Mine being a good project; s a u c u g e
the pockets of the shareholders of Taseko Mines. There is more than one way to make money in mining
and if there is a tiny glimmer of hope for a project to move forward, such as the possibility of this
permit, in the long run it continues to make Taskeo shareholders profit.”

“From our perspective, the permit is like the Liberal party giving a welcoming present of infected small
pox blankets to the junior incoming NDP government. The proper steps would be to pull the pin on this
permit; the NDP government has the power to do so and should do the honourable thing – something
that the former BC Liberal government w u d d We will be exhausting all options to ensure our
cultural, spiritual and sacred lands are protected for the use of curre a d fu ure ge era s”

s ʔ ss s ss - National Government:
“The BC Government made a commitment to implement the rights of Indigenous Peoples and we are
calling on the BC Government to commit to honour those rights, as our Nation aspires to protect Te tan
Biny. It is unacceptable that our community has to endure this injustice and the continued trauma of
colonization. To transition from conflict, our communities have provided an alternative in the Dasiqox
Tribal Park. We no longer want to live with the threat of government and external industries deciding
how our land should be managed.”

s ʔin (Chief) L X w F s s
“The Na , a d par cu ar e pe p e f Xe Gwe , ave e dured 25 years f Pa e
hearings and court cases to simply have our Proven Aboriginal rights run roughshod over. BC and TML
eed ur c se ; we re pas e s age f c su a The drilling program stands to displace our
families, threaten our sacred sites, and interrupt our ceremonies and teaching opportunities to our
youth. e a y a d Na as are a g e f r Taseko Mines Ltd. It is about showing respect and
demonstrating strong moral values. This is missing here, and BC needs to urgently step up to the plate
a d s w rea eaders p suc a me f cr s s ”

Media Contact:
Myanna Desaulniers
Communication Manager
Na a G ver me
(250) 305-7885