Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) · Sat, Sep 28, 1974
Moratorium on Marina Political Decision – Wright
Resources Minister Bob Williams’ decision to call a six-month moratorium on development of the Saanichton Bay marina is a political decision, not one based on fact, developer Bob Wright said today.
Williams announced the moratorium late Friday afternoon following a meeting with Clarence Riach of the Indian affairs department, Tsawout Indian Band manager Gus Underwood, and other opponents of the marina.
“What can you do? It was a political decision,” was Wright’s reaction.
He said he and George Wheaton, his partner in the marina proposal, were not invited to the meeting and learned of Williams’ action from his secretary later.
Wright remains confident that any new environmental or social impact studies done on the 1,130-berth marina proposal will confirm earlier studies.
Two environmental impact studies and one social impact study already completed show no major problem in the development.
Riach, economic development officer for the south Vancouver Island Indian affairs district, said Indian affairs will help the Tsawout Band to undertake their own studies of the impact of the marina.
The studies will be done by independent consultants, he said, and will almost certainly be financed by the Indian affairs department.
The department is convinced that the band’s case has not yet been properly heard and that more studies will reveal the “sad facts” of the marina proposal, Riach said.
The Tsawout Band fears pollution from the marina would ruin their traditional shellfishing, fishing, swimming and boating in the area.
Underwood said previous studies didn’t consider the social impact of the marina on East Saanich Indians.
“It’s our traditional livelihood,” he said.
“We wouldn’t be allowed to take shellfish or to hunt ducks, and there are several Indian bands who would suffer.”
Work on the new study of the dependence of the Indians on Saanichton Bay will begin immediately, said Underwood.
Wright indicated he’s willing to sit out the six months until the band’s studies are completed.
