UPDATE:
Representatives from the Prince Rupert Port Authority, Maher Terminals, the prime contractors of the Fairview expansion project and First Nations demonstrators met over the weekend, with the peaceful protest coming to an end on Saturday.
"An agreement was reached where the First Nations joint venture will be undertaking the clearing and grubbing work for Phase II expansion," said Michael Gurney, PRPA manager of corporate communications.
Preparatory work will be undertaken over the next few weeks.
ORIGINAL:
With preparatory work for the Phase II expansion project at Fairview Container Terminal set to begin, Lax Kw'alaams, Metlakatla and Kitkatla First Nations members have initiated a peaceful demonstration in front of the terminal's public viewpoint.
Workers from First Nations contracting companies began protesting on the morning of April 16 after out-of-town groups were hired for the clearing and grubbing work to prepare for the expansion project, which they say is a breach of an agreement by the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA).
The agreement in question was signed by the Federal Government, Prince Rupert Port Authority and Coast Tsimshian First Nations in 2011 and stated First Nations would be provided with preferred contracting opportunities associated with the development of the container terminal development.
Richard Ferguson, one of the demonstrators, said despite that agreement, no local First Nations contractors were hired for expansion work at Fairview Container Terminal. Demonstrators say they have no intentions of leaving until the issue is resolved.
“Resolving this would mean getting the contract we were supposed to. That's why we're here, to get that contract,” said Don Nelson, another participant in the peaceful protest.
“We're going to be here for a long time. We're starting out with a week,” Ferguson said.
Michael Gurney, the Prince Rupert Port Authority's manager of corporate communications, confirmed the prime contractor of the expansion project, a joint venture between Fraser River Pile and Dredge and Bel Contracting, is subject to the terms of the 2011-agreement. He said its purpose is to consistently provide First Nations contractors the opportunity to bid on contracts related to Fairview construction, with the decision to award a contract ultimately being decided by the merits of respondents' bids.
Gurney said the procedure is to first take into account the bids of First Nations respondents, but if they aren't cost-competitive or qualified for the job, the prime contractor may consider all other proposals.
“It’s imperative to note that First Nations companies were given the opportunity to bid on the contract ... once the bids were received, the prime contractor exercised its discretion in selecting a subcontractor,” said Gurney, noting in this case the bid wasn't cost-competitive.
With clearing and grubbing scheduled to start early next week, Gurney said the PRPA doesn't anticipate the protest will disrupt work.
“We've had our security staff reach out to the individuals involved in the demonstration, and I know that Maher staff have also spoken with them. They've been very cooperative and we appreciate the fact that they're expressing their concerns peacefully and [aren't impeding] traffic to or from the terminal,” he said.
“We are hopeful and anticipate that the good relations between our staff and the individuals there will continue and that they'll allow for the safe passage of the construction equipment that will be necessary to effect the work there.”
But when the Northern View spoke with protesters on Thursday, that didn't appear to be the case.
“The out-of-town contractor that's supposed to start clearing land, we're going to blockade that. We're going to go right in front of the machines,” Ferguson said on April 16.