Dear all concerned,

I am writing to address recent rumours that have been circulating, regarding Dease River First Nation and Cassiar Cemetery. These claims are completely unfounded and hold no truth. It is deeply disheartening that the Band is being accused of such horrific actions. The members and leadership in our community would never, under any circumstances, disturb the resting places of their own people or anyone else.

The Cassiar Cemetery is under the jurisdiction of the Province of British Columbia. The cemetery was established when the mine was operational, at which time the Cassiar community maintained the cemetery until the closure of the mine in 1992. Following the closure of the mine, both the Kaska and Tahltan communities continued to use the cemetery. Over time, the fenced area became overcrowded, and despite the limited capacity of the cemetery, some families continued burials outside of the fenced boundary. At no point has Dease River First Nation assumed responsibility for maintaining the cemetery, nor received funding for its upkeep.

In one case, a family from Kamloops brought an Elder who had passed to be buried at Cassiar without prior notice. By the time DRFN was informed, the family was already near Smithers, BC, which left us no opportunity to warn them about the lack of space in the cemetery, or intervene. It is to my knowledge that the gravesite was prepared with assistance from the previous General Manager of Dease River Development Cooperation, but this was not a band-led initiative. Furthermore, before my time in the community, a portion of the cemetery fence had been removed. This was done by others, outside of Kaska or Tahltan communities, to accommodate burials. As a result, we completed an assessment to expand the cemetery, but it was determined that the land was unsuitable due to large boulders, so the idea was abandoned.

Some individuals have raised concerns in the past as well. Two Dease Lake community members approached our leadership and expressed their frustration that DRFN was not taking proper care of the cemetery. We informed them that the maintenance of the cemetery lies with the province. We currently do not hold the capacity to dedicate the continuous maintenance and upkeep that the Cassiar Cemetery requires, but we care very deeply about this issue and our loved ones who have passed on. As a result of the concerns raised, we began working on establishing a new cemetery within the community of Good Hope Lake. We remain in discussions with the Provincial Government to identify suitable land.

The Band has never considered relocating any existing graves. We have not, and will never, consider or suggest disturbing any person's final resting place. The rumours suggesting so, are nothing more than baseless accusations. We are saddened to hear that anyone would fabricate such stories.

We understand that some individuals have reached out to the Band Office with their concerns, and although our staff is extremely limited, we remain committed to addressing those concerns. The surrounding communities are understandably upset, but I urge everyone to stay informed and not spread misinformation. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Band Office at +1 (250)-239-3000 or email me directly at drfn.executive@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Yvonne Moon, Executive Director, Dease River First Nation