RTA Legacy Agreement News

RTA Legacy Agreement News

March 3, 2010 - 4:02pm

March 1, 2010
 
Dear Haisla Nation Membership
 
Haisla Nation – Rio Tinto Alcan Legacy Agreement
 
On February 19th, 2010 Kitamaat Village Council received formal notification from its auditing
firm, BDO Dunwoody that the Haisla Nation membership had voted in favour of signing a
negotiated agreement with Rio Tinto Alcan. The total ballots casted: 445 with specific results
showing: Yes: 300 No: 144 Empty ballots: 1.  
 
This historic agreement involved approximately 3 years and 3 months of negotiations
between the parties and was triggered by Rio Tinto Alcan’s plans to modernize its existing
Kitimat Aluminum Smelter.  
 
The Haisla Nation-Rio Tinto Alcan Legacy Agreement holds great promise for the Haisla
Nation members, as it provides for employment, training, as well as provisions for Haisla
Nation businesses to become engaged in procurements for not only the modernization
project, but ongoing Kitimat Smelter operations before and after the modernization and
perhaps more significantly the agreement provides for a legacy trust to be established.  
 
This historic agreement marks renewed beginnings in the relationship between Rio Tinto
Alcan and the Haisla Nation, which has seen the Kitimat Smelter in operations in Haisla
Traditional Territory for the past 55 years.  
 
Elected Chief and Council would like to thank and commend the Haisla Nation Membership
for voting in favour of this agreement.  
 
 
Best regards,

 
Dolores Pollard  
Chief Councillor  
Kitamaat Village Council

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