By Cheryl Jahn

Crystal Smith

Crystal Smith delivers big at resources forum

Jan 30, 2020 | 4:15 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – With a standing ovation, the face of First Nations support for LNG took to the podium at the Natural Resources Forum.

It was at the same forum last year that Crystal Smith uttered the words that sent her on a journey.

“I’m tired of managing poverty.”

Smith is the Chief of the Haisla First Nation, one of 20 First Nations that has signed on to LNG Canada’s project in Kitimat. She spoke emotionally about the poverty of her communities, the oppression of the communities and the hard work it took to realize the benefits of the LNG and Coastal GasLink projects.

“But it’s the hard decisions of our people that have gotten us to where we are.”

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And reflecting on life in Haisla, where opportunities were slim.

“I tell you that as an 11-year-old, 12-year-old girl walking down the street from my grandparent’s house to my basketball practice, where I would pass our old band office every day and think, I’m gonna be either a janitor or an assistant to somebody. And that’s the only place that I can work. To be standing in front of a sold-out crowd as the elected Chief Councillor of my very proud nation.”

She also spoke of the quality of life gaps.

“This independence is what we want. Every First Nations sitting in this room knows about that gap that I’m talking about. That gap is what we’re closing.”