by Mark Kiemele

The summer of 2015 may be long remembered at Malahat First Nation. The small nation on Saanich Inlet doesn’t make the news that often, but starting in mid-July, people around the Salish Sea began paying it attention.
It began with the nation’s purchase of the 535-hectare Bamberton property adjacent to the reserve lands. The deal for the former industrial site was reported to be $37.5 million, but Malahat was keeping mum on how it would use the land. (See Malahat Grows in more way than one! at (www.salishseasentinel.ca).
Then, in early August, came the sudden resignation of Chief Michael Harry over alleged financial improprieties. His name appeared in BC Supreme Court filings in a case involving a contaminated soil treatment facility in nearby Shawnigan Lake. Days later the first web rumours surfaced about using the Bamberton site for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. A few days after that, councillor Tommy Harry was named interim chief and his first big announcement was that a Malahat general election would be held two months early, on Nov. 2.
But the biggest news, perhaps, came on August 20 when Malahat’s plans for the Bamberton site were revealed. A crowd of media, community members and others filled the Kwunew Kwasun centre as the nation announced a partnership with Steelhead LNG for BC’s newest gas project. “We are excited about this opportunity,” Chief Tommy Harry said. He added that it “is an indication that our nation is open for business.” Speaking about his nation’s comprehensive development plan, he said:

“We recognized that to achieve that vision, we needed to look beyond our nation
to develop new business relationships.”

The LNG project is just in preliminary stages and much work needs to be done before the floating facility becomes a reality. Vancouver-based Steelhead is involved in a similar deal with Huu-ay-aht First Nation to build a facility at Sarita Bay on Vancouver Island’s west coast.
As for the coming election, Chief Harry said: “The allegations [against Michael Harry]… are serious and regrettably reflect on Malahat. We have accomplished so much in a short period. It is important
we have a government that demonstrates first and foremost its commitment and responsibilities to its members.

“We are strong, united and focused on building a big, bold and beautiful Malahat Nation.”