TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2006 @ 9:30 AM
COURT OF APPEAL 800 SMITHE STREET 

Beverly Manuel and Nicole (Mayuk) Manuel are appearing in the BC Court of Appeal on Tuesday to legally challenge a criminal conviction for participating in a road block at Sun Peaks Resort, near Kamloops, BC. “We have targeted the patently unconstitutional 1874 BC Lands Act as the center of our legal actions and defense” states defendant Beverly Manuel. Mayuk, a Secwepemc mother of two and member of the Secwepemc Youth Movement, has already served 30 days of a 45 day sentence for standing up for her Rights during the roadblock.

Over the past five years, there have been over 57 arrests of Secwepemc community members defending their rights to Secwepemc territories against the corporate mega-development project of Sun Peaks Resort. Sun Peaks Resort is built on Secwepemc territories, land which has never been ceded, released, nor surrendered. The BC government and Sun Peaks therefore has no authority over the Secwepemc people or their lands.

Yet the development of Sun Peaks Resort has continued without participation of those with Title to the land. The government disregarded environmental and cultural impact studies performed by the Adams Lake and Neskonlith Indian Bands and refused to engage in consultation and meaningful discussion with the bands about the development. The Secwepemc attended stakeholder meetings and clearly said no to the development. Land and Water BC however, clearly disregarded their voices and granted new leases to Sun Peaks to facilitate their expansion.

Since purchasing the resort in 1992, the Japanese holding company, Nippon Cable, has expanded on site accomodation from 100 beds to 4000. In 1997, the BC government approved a $70 million development plan, allowing Sun Peaks to continue to expand their resort to 20,000 beds and put ski runs on the previously undisturbed Mt. Morrisey. In June 2004 with the Olympic bid, the expansion now totals $285 million.

Please show your support in Court for those continuing the struggle against Sun Peaks Resort. For more information on support in Vancouver: Email noii-van at resist.ca or visit https://noii-van.resist.ca/skwelkwekwelt

RESISTANCE WITHOUT RESERVATION!
Skwelkwek’welt Protection Center P.O. Box 837, Chase, BC, V0E 1M0. Phone (250) 318-4290. Fax (250) 679-5306. e-mail: jrbilly at mail.ocis.net