In the Cochrane Eagle’s page 7 article of December 10, you mistakenly identified me as a rally organizer regarding logging in the Ghost watershed.
Let me explain my (our) involvement.
The Crown land adjacent to our place is also referred to as the “B9 cutblock.” When I discovered that Jamieson Road was to be used as a trucking route for about 5,300 loads of logs, I wrote (May 2014) to Mr. Barry Mjolsness of Spray Lake Sawmills (SLS) that our narrow and poorly constructed road was inadequate and that another exit had to be found. SLS staff had, and still have, access through our place for planning and emergencies.
For many years I have known that a portion of B9 was to become part of the Morley (First Nations) Reserve.
The elders spoke of the illegal removal of survey monuments, that is, without approval of tribal leadership.
Last year my surveyor, working on an unrelated project, discovered the existence of a perfectly preserved monument with the I.R. mark on the iron post. Later we found a second one 1.5 miles south along the same alignment, both more than 100 years old.
The existence of these ancient witnesses was made known to Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD), Stoney Nakoda leadership, the Alberta government (our MLA), the MD of Bighorn Council, our neighbours and others. ESRD and SLS staff came to inspect and take photos last spring, as did two delegates from Morley, long before logging began.
Several weeks ago, Bearspaw First Nation Coun. Narville Kootenay (mentioned in your report) asked me for access to the markers. He brought his elders and they seemed moved when they saw the ancient iron post, a witness to the stories from their elders.
We were happy to cooperate when asked to allow access to B9 for the rally and we appreciate that SLS staff were on hand to supervise and organize safe passage to the ceremonial site. We understand that the prayers offered were for the protection of the animals, the traditional medicinal plants, the land and the water.
