In northeastern British Columbia, Ken Boon has created the “Site C Sucks Museum” in a log cabin, showcasing memorabilia from decades of protests against the Site C dam. This collection includes shirts, posters, and legal documents dating back to the 1970s, reflecting the long-standing opposition to the $16-billion project. Despite the project’s completion, Boon emphasizes the importance of documenting this history, especially as the dam has recently been named after former premier John Horgan, who initially opposed it but later supported its construction. Boon humorously remarks on the irony of the naming, given the extensive challenges and controversies surrounding the dam, including significant losses to farmland and traditional burial sites for local Indigenous communities. Chief Roland Willson of the West Moberly First Nation has criticized the naming of the reservoir, now called Nááchę mege, as disrespectful to Indigenous elders whose graves have been submerged.
Why It Matters
The Site C dam, which began generating power in 2024, has faced ongoing legal disputes and protests from Treaty 8 First Nations and landowners over its environmental and cultural impacts. The flooding caused by the dam has displaced farmland and traditional burial sites, raising significant concerns regarding treaty rights and Indigenous sovereignty. The recent naming of the reservoir reflects ongoing tensions between government decisions and the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada, highlighting the historical context of land use and development in the region. B.C. Hydro has indicated that discussions about the naming involved 13 affected First Nations, but notable exclusions, such as the West Moberly, underscore the complexities of Indigenous representation and participation in such decisions.
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