Fight Over Sovereign Tribal Rights Spanning U.S. – Canada Border Could Be Nearing End
Listen
Tribal members are waiting for the next move from British Columbia’s provincial government in a long-running battle over sovereign rights. Last month, a British Columbia Supreme Court judge ruled against the province, siding with a Washington man in an illegal hunting case.
Rick Desautel is one of roughly 4,000 Sinixt tribal members who live on the Colville reservation in northeastern Washington state. Sinixt traditional lands extend from the reservation north into British Columbia.
Desautel was charged after he hunted elk illegally in British Columbia, where the tribe has been declared extinct. He argues he has a right to hunt on his ancestral lands.
The case has dragged on for nearly a decade. Two courts have sided with Desautel, including the provincial Supreme Court in December.
Defense Attorney Mark Underhill hopes it’s the end of the legal fight.
“I think what the courts have said at least indirectly, if not directly, is it’s time to sit down and talk about reconciliation with the Sinixt rather than furthering a legal battle that in my respectful view is a losing one,” Underhill said.
British Columbia’s Prosecution Service says “no decision has been made regarding an appeal. The government has until January 28 to decide.
Related Stories:
Klickitat County Planning Commission mulls new solar, battery rules
One county in south-central Washington state has become a hub for renewable energy development. It’s divided people living in Klickitat County – those who welcome development and those who steadfastly oppose it.
Federal bill could ban breaching Lower Snake River dams
For years, US Rep. Dan Newhouse has argued the Lower Snake River dams make up an important energy source for the Northwest, and that they can coexist with salmon. He’s introduced a bill on the issue.
East Selah residents ask for more help with PFAs contamination
More than 100 people gathered at the Selah Civic Center on Monday to raise concerns about PFAs, or “forever chemicals,” in their drinking wells. Many in the audience said they’re still waiting on solutions, nearly four years since they learned about the contamination.
