The Lax Kw’alaams band, a small native community in British Columbia with nearly 3,600 members, turned down a $1 billion offer from a big energy company. The energy concern, a consortium led by Petronas, offered the money as part of a plan to build a natural gas ship terminal on Lax Kw’alaams land, according to the New York Times.
Garry Reice, mayor of the Lax Kw’alaams, said he hopes this
“sends an unequivocal message this is not a money issue: This is environmental and cultural.” The band was concerned that the project would do irreparable harm to local fishing and fish habitats, especially salmon.
