FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2020
Statement from Haida Hereditary Chiefs’ Council Regarding Queen Charlotte Lodge
Our people fought over many decades to protect Duu Guusd, the North Coast and the waters of Haida Gwaii. There was no support from the commercial sportfishing industry in any of the work to curb industrial logging nor the effort to ban the supertankers.
Since its arrival, Queen Charlotte Lodge has treated this precious part of our homeland as little more than a playground for those who make money spoiling the Earth. In their lust for profit, QCL has expanded far beyond acceptable limits, trespassing with breakwater and mooring overreach in Needan Gawee Naden Harbour, and now, they choose profit over life.
QCL has shown disregard for any fishing regulation or conservation measures, racking up more infractions than any other operation. The ongoing carnage and waste by way of “catch and release” is taking its toll, not only on every species of salmon, but also halibut and rock cod.
QCL has been dishonest in its representations to the public and its patrons when they claimed to be cooperating with the Council of the Haida Nation in the face of COVID-19.
QCL has shown disregard for marine etiquette and safety in repeatedly charging around in the vicinity of smaller boats at high speeds.
QCL has shown contempt for the environment in placing an old tug-boat which is continually ripping up the seabed and kelp with its anchors and pumping raw sewage into protected waters for the convenience of its clients.
QCL has been disrespectful to the Haida Guardians over the years and the Gaandlee Guu Jaalang Daughters of the River who initially appealed to QCL to remain closed through the COVID-19 pandemic.
If Queen Charlotte Lodge had ever been welcomed, it has lost its welcome on Haida Gwaii.
THIS STATEMENT IS APPROVED BY THE HEREDITARY CHIEFS’ COUNCIL <http://www.haidanation.ca/?page_id=40>
I saw the boating fiasco last night. There is no place on any water for this behaviour. Shame on QCL. What is the plan now? Can they be shut down?
What happened on the water
Oh my God! Unbelievable! Am so disgusted, lost for words! Keep reporting these infractions!
Hello,
I would like to support the CHN in urging QCL to remain closed to non-islanders until the Haida Nation has deemed it acceptable to re-open. What can I do to help with this issue? Thank you.
one wonders if helijet, who I believe, flies some of these people in, would appreciate the bad press associated in their dealings with qcl? If I had a transportation company I certainly would not want to associate with those who are causing grief and behaving badly. for the life of me I cannot fathom why they are allowed to open at this time during a pandemic potentially spreading covid to others and why bc govt. has allowed this?
I noticed that Helijet is no longer advertising on their website. I was going to boycott Helijet until they ceased advertising but it looks like they did the right thing and withdrew their support.
They flew the guests from Rupert. Helijet still wants QCL’s dirty money, just not the bad PR
I would like to know as a resident of BC how can we support Haida Gwaii with this issue? How can I support you in getting this lodge closed?
Good for you Haida brothers and sisters That lodge is a stain on a magical place, i can only hope you can pry them out of the Gwaii keep your heads up and join together you can make this happen
Too many of the commercial enterprises feel they can write their own rules and ignore the residents. It has to stop some where and why let them destroy some of the best wilderness around?
West Coast Resorts saw the disregard for native values and I witnessed the carnage while operating the Moresby Lake power plant.
Get QCL out of there. Catch and release results in 20 to 30% mortality!!!
They don’t catch and release completely. For years QCL has instructed their guides to keep over limits of salmon halibut rockfish and crab to feed their guests. This is how Paul Clough the owner was fined for over limit halibut possession – he had staff fill their freezer . Dirty operation owned and run by a dirty family
This is important information. Thank you. My dream is to experience Haida Gwaii some day, to learn about the history and culture and to enjoy the natural beauty, in a respectful way while staying in accommodation that honors place.
I shall never stay at Queen Charlotte Lodge. The name, already, shows that this hotel does not belong in Haida Gwaii but violates the location as an intruder, a predator.
The Queen Charlotte Lodge censors their Facebook comments. They have removed my comments and have prevented me from commenting further. Just a FYI
Interesting because this website censors as well. Deleted my comments as soon as I posted them
It is important that these waters and lands be known as stolen territories. Through the Doctrine of Discovery, the trespassers, came in by force and now occupy and destroy these precious territories that have been stewarded time immemorial by Indigenous people and Nations like the Haida. No more. I support getting this degradation out of the territories waters and lands.
I feel that it has been stolen. Over many centuries, people have been conquered, and replaced.
I am 100 percent in favor of the Haida decision to keep the place so sacred to my heart safe and elders secure in knowing that you are trying to keep another tragedy from happening again. THANK YOU. I am not a native but I do have the upmost respect for all tribe members and matriarchs of the most beautiful place with the most beautiful people on earth
Stick to your guns….. Not literally, but this is your land. We spent 26 years in NWT communities and learned to respect local elders and community leaders.
You are in the right as you obviously know. We live now on a small island, Saltspring, and have similar worries. Be Strong. We all admire your stand.
Thank you for this press release. The footage I saw yesterday of lodge boats was extremely upsetting- the statements by one of the lodge guides are an embarrassment at best and utterly disrespectful. Thank you for making your position clear – and you have been
More than generous with your response to these people.
What is extremely upsetting is that you only saw the natives portion of the video footage that paints them as the victim. Ask them for the unedited version and then form your opinion. But that will never happen because they will never share the whole video which clearly shows they were the disrespectful ones and the ones endangering lives.
Breaking News!
==============
Racist White male is extremely upset by natives of island peacefully defending their island, people, and resource from other racist white males.
I know, shocking for us natives to hear, like we haven’t heard from your kind over the last 100 years.
Heres a suggestion, even if what you say is true, don’t want to be disrepected and lives endangered? STAY AWAY FROM LANDS AND WATERS NOT YOURS!
I really hope that QCL gets lost
All commercial sport fishing should be banned.
I suggest we all write Premier Horgan and our MLA’s about the dangerous position they have put the Haida Nation in. The BC government needs to support the Haida nation and other First Nations to keep their communities closed to outsiders and to control the commercial activities in their territories.
Standing up for your community/the earth is the right thing to do.
Once again only the natives side of the story is printed. I was out on the water and it was the Natives boats causing the problems and endangering lives. Explain how catch and release fishing is more harmful than netting fish. Why isn’t the coast guard and or the RCMP involved if there is safety concerns. Oh because no one in government stands up to the natives. If it actually was the Lodge boats causing the problem you can bet the RCMP and or the Coast Guard would be involved.
sure, because DFO and RCMP majority staffed by whites, natives should expect fair treatment on own lands and waters right?
Whats the lodge called? Could have called it anything else, changed name..nope lets just leave that reminder of last 100 years of racism there, you know, for convience and choice of owner.
QUEEN CHARLOTTE LODGE?
And thats not racist at all.. but you and others cant see that because when you face the truth, your homeland is waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy the heck that way ————————————————————————>
I am fully supportive of the stance that the Haida Hereditary Chiefs’ Council has taken, based on the video footage I have seen of QCL boats intimidating Haida fishers. The type of disrespectful behaviour exhibited by QCL employees should never be tolerated.
I’ve had the good fortune of visiting Haida Gwaii long before I recognized it as a privilege and I was on their land. I know little about the Haida Nation and even less about QCL, but I do know this…the Haida Nation has the right to protect its people, land, and water. I support Haida jurisdiction and sovereignty.
Wow!! I wrote a comment that questions the information you printed and guess what – you deleted my comments. To me that just proves how one sided your publication really is. You only print the comments that show natives as victims.
oh looky, your compoletely wrong again Pete. appears false accusations are your forte..
Heres your whiney comment for me to reply to, and oh ya, as you’ll have noticed your last 2 comments being appologist for white racism.
Im happy they left your comments up, for the whole world to know just how racist you really are.
Do some research past rebel.com or whitepride.ca and maybe know a little of the last 100 years of history on west coast before you show your racist ignorance anymore..
I joined a group to fish at Queen Charlotte Lodge years ago, and was very impressed with the beauty and serenity. I have to admit that I noticed how money was the ruling factor at the lodge, I heard a few disparaging comments about the ‘Local’ population. I commend your actions. Keep up the marvelous work.
So much for democracy!!!!
Ya since its done natives so much good!
Holy hell your ignorant as heck!
Im not going to sit here and try and educate you, thats on you.
But I hope you can grasp this..
Im speaking to you in English, living in a province called British Columbia, and I am niether British, nor Columbian, and Im doing so because my peoples language was beaten, raped, and murdered out of existance, denied the right to own our own lands, denied protection of the law, denied right to vote, denied right to run for office, denied our culture, denied our resources, and finally denied our humanity. All done by the democratic systems of Canada since the invasion of OUR NATIVE LANDS.
Oh ya, as for democracy….how many non-white, non-christian, non-males have been elected prime minister in last 200 years?
ZERO?
Sure you love democrazy… its whats enabled your ignorant white priviledge isnt it?
If everything is “YOURS” why is that “Us racist Canadian taxpayers” pay for all your social programs.
CHN and all Haida have my moral and ethical support to protect their lands, waters, and people. The arrogance and disrespect of the Lodge should result in its closure.
Their lands and waters ? Isn’t Haida Gwaii in BC ? Canada ?
Haida Gw’aii is unceded Territory so no- it doesn’t belong to BC – we are the interlopers. QCL (outdated settler name – Queen Charlotte Lodge “ is using their land – now without their permission. They purchased stolen land
Haida Gw’aii is unceded Territory so no- it doesn’t belong to BC – we are the interlopers. QCL (outdated settler name – Queen Charlotte Lodge “ is using their land – now without their permission. They purchased stolen land
Great decision. We are lucky to live so close to such a privilege and priceless environment , it needs to be protected. Hopefully one day i can visit and experience Haida Gwaii in a sustainable way.
I cannot find any reason for these ugly interlopers being allowed to stay. This is disgusting. Come on, Horgan! Do the right thing and back the Haida Gwaii people! Kick these jerks right off the island.
It is sad that the authority to evict them is not clear. It should be. QCL must be brought to heel. Not all settlers can tolerate such disrespect.
I support the Haida Nation. Shut down and banish QCL from Haida Gwaii. How can we help?
Can you cut off their water supply – can you construct a floating barricade?
This letter should be circulated to all their suppliers – food, fuel, booze, bait etc.
I am outraged and saddened by the appalling behaviour of QCL . ‘Money matters over lives? ‘. I Think of the horrific impact of smallpox introduced by European settlers . Sadly this new era may be a revisit to those tines . Wake up everyone !
You need to wake up and understand the whole situation not just the Haida side of it, QCL has gone to great expense to protect the residents of the Island by flying in from Prince Rupert to the lodge, the lodge is 45kms away from Massett, accessible by water or air only, if COVID 19 is the concern why are the Haida coming to the Lodges Fishing area to harass the guests, why are the “Sisters of the River” camped within 2 kms of the Lodge ? It’s not about COVID 19 and never was.
If Haida Gwaii is to become a sovereign nation then I will abide by the laws of that Nation, until then I will abide by the laws we have.
I was there 1 week ago, no media, just the Haida filming, they are the only ones operating their boats in a dangerous manner, ask QCL to send you some of their footage and you’ll get the real story.
This is total nonsense. I was at QCL two weeks ago and we were being harassed by Haida boats coming within 2 feet of our boats, yelling and screaming at us. “Oh, you are bringing us Covid”, others cutting fishing lines is not “peaceful protesting”.
QCL used to fly people into Masset and chopper people to the lodge but have moved, at great expense, to Prince Rupert. No one comes near Masset and Masset has lost the business of supplying the lodge.
QCL tried to consult with the Haida weeks before the opening and met only silence. Compromise is a two way street people.
I have been fishing at QCL for many years. The operation is top notch and has the upmost respect for nature in the area. We release fish we are not consuming and are coached by the lodge for a successful release. Non of us want to harm the resources we harvest . That ruins it for everyone. There is a lot more waste from the indigenous commercial fishing trollers cruising the same waters. They own 90% of the fleet. They target a certain species and discard the rest or feed their dogs.I haven’t read any complaints about that. The fact that QCL has flown the guest from Prince Rupert instead of Masset shows there commitment to protect the local residents. This is not about Covid 19 but an abuse of power given to them by weak politicians . QCL has shown that they can operate with out interfering with the residents and thus protect everyone from Covid 19. They and West Coast Fishing lodge should be allowed to continue operating. The economy has suffered enough. People have to make a living. And you wonder why there is racism out there.
I have started a petition to boycott these lodges at change.org
http://chng.it/hdfsctpJ please pass on to as many people as possib;e
Petition started…
http://chng.it/HLhRyyFNSC
Disgraceful that Horgan has ordered the closure of these 2 lodges based only on the request of the Haidi Nation. They brought COVID into their communities themselves. Now business owners just trying to make a living are having to pay for it. We all know this has nothing to do with COVID.
The owner of QCL started Impark and sold it. I worked in the area for the DFO. We caught the owner Paul Clough with dozens of cases of halibut. Word is he would make his employees fish halibut for his own personal freezer but he wiggles out with his lawyers and just took a hefty fine instead of getting shut down.