Steven Point at the Coast Salish Gathering in 2007

Steven Point of Sto:lo Nation, was chief commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission, when he said these words at the 2007 Coast Salish Gathering in Cowichan:

“Something is happening. The animals are telling us… We’re at a critical time as people of this earth. The scientists are telling us we have a deadline to meet. Are we already too late?

“It’s funny that we are just coming to a time when aboriginal people are taking the first steps in economic development. But we’ve seen the impacts of technological developments over the past 200 years. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes.

“As much as I encourage our communities to get involved, the first question has to be: How is this going to impact the environment?”