Mayors chase casino revenue deal
Author: Hill, Edward
Source: Goldstream News Gazette
Published: Dec 13, 06
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BRITISH COLUMBIA – Capital region First Nations could become partners in casino revenue sharing, in a similar deal first rejected by West Shore governments four years ago. View Royal Mayor Graham Hill and Langford Mayor Stew Young confirmed Friday they will both approach partner municipalities to rework the casino income agreement established in 2001. “It became apparent during the Bear Mountain issues that we need to talk to other partners to consider equity-sharing in the region,” Hill said. “I want to engage all partners in a frank discussion on the principles of revenue sharing that reflects the area where we live, and the reality of our neighbours.” In 2002, Songhees, Beecher Bay, Esquimalt and Tsou-ke First Nations made a bid to join revenue sharing, but squabbling between View Royal and Colwood sunk the deal. Prior to that, Beecher Bay had approached the B.C. Lottery Corporation for a casino development. That also went nowhere. View Royal’s Great Canadian Casino distributes 10 per cent of its net gaming revenue to surrounding local governments. Last year, municipal casino payouts hit more than $4 million. View Royal receives 45 per cent, Langford 15 per cent, and Langford in-trust 40 per cent, split among Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, Highlands, Sooke and Esquimalt based on population. Young offered to approach partner municipalities on revenue sharing as part of a First Nations agreement drafted in the wake of a contentious dispute over a cave on the Bear Mountain development. Songhees and Tsartlip bands, among others, consider the cave a sacred site. The agreement-in-principle outlines consultation protocols and economic development proposals, including working toward a small casino on Bear Mountain as a joint venture with First Nations. Songhees, Esquimalt, Tsartlip, Bear Mountain and Langford have signed off on parts of the draft document. The provincial government was also at the table. A final agreement was expected Tuesday or Wednesday, after press deadline. Some reports and skeptical First Nations members suggested the casino proposal is a cynical swap for a cave site inconveniencing a billion-dollar development. Young said the cave is a flash point for deeper aboriginal grievances, largely with the slow treaty process. First Nations have long considered casino revenues and a possible casino itself as key to economic development, Young said. “Casinos are nothing new and were not brought up because of the cave. First Nations were involved initially with casino development,” Young said. “First Nations saw the one built in View Royal and there was frustration from their point of view. They were looking for casino revenue long before View Royal.” The B.C. Lottery Corp. and Great Canadian Casinos have made no comments on exploring a Bear Mountain casino. Young pointed out Bear Mountain, as a “destination resort,” is a good candidate for a casino licence. Young said he wants peace and stability in Langford while helping First Nations develop new income and employment streams. Part of the agreement-in-principle has Bear Mountain committing $6 million in infrastructure on 20 acres of Tsartlip land next to Bear Mountain’s golf course. The agreement also calls for the province to transfer 20 acres of Provincial Capital Commission land to the Songhees, along with $1 million. That land is near the bottom of Skirt Mountain and the Trans Canada Highway, where Langford wants to build the $25-million Spencer Interchange. Young said the $1 million would allow the Songhees to develop infrastructure and to contribute to the interchange, similar to other area landowners. “If they can get infrastructure they can be part of the development of Langford,” Young said. “It solves issues on a local level, and it helps the province, the feds and the First Nations to work together.” The agreement-principle is a far cry from the dismal First Nations-Bear Mountain relationship seen in November. Aboriginal members occupied the cave site to protest its imminent destruction for an archeological survey, and eventually housing. Bear Mountain construction crews also staged a show of force in solidarity with the developer. Young brought both sides together for two weeks of intensive negotiations, much of which, he said, was about learning the First Nation perspectives. First Nations are loathe to reveal spiritual areas, which kept the cave site obscured until the housing development was nearly ready to bulldoze over it. But Bear Mountain was acting within provincial heritage conservation law, and had commissioned a professional archeological survey of Skirt Mountain. The surveys showed the cave has no aboriginal historical use, although some First Nations claimed it was a spiritual bathing pool. Provincial law offers no protection for sacred places. Young said First Nation chiefs and the developers worked hard to get past seemingly irreconcilable differences. The agreement commits to a consultation process, economic development, and protection for sacred sites, although likely not for the disputed cave. A healing ceremony is part of the agreement, which would transfer the spiritual significance away from the cave site, Young said. “We need to find ways to work with First Nations on culturally significant sites, we need rules and regulations around it,” Young said. “Right now it’s a grey area, it’s undefined. There is no written way to deal with spiritual areas.” Young admits he fears the extensive media coverage of the cave dispute may have poisoned First Nations members against the agreements, after partial information leaked to some outlets last week. “I don’t want conflict in Langford. I want good relations with First Nations, and good relations with developers. My goal is to bring them all together,” Young said. “I want to work with First Nations and business to find ways to increase economic activity.” Young wants an archeological assessment on all properties within Langford to head off conflict before it starts. Ultimately, Young wants a detailed map showing potential and existing archeolgical and spiritual sites. New developments are paying $100 per unit toward an archeological fund.
