Two Vancouver Island First Nations鈥� chiefs broke their silence this week, saying the federal Discovery Islands fish farm process was filled with missed opportunities.

Campbell River area Wei Wai Kum and We Wai Kai were among seven First Nations that federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan consulted prior to her decision to phase out 19 Discovery Islands fish farms by 2022.

But the chiefs said that even though the decision aligned with the sentiment of their communities in favour of removing open-pen farms from the ocean, the process was hollow.

Chief Chris Roberts of Wei Wai Kum First Nation said they were given inadequate time to have a 鈥減ragmatic dialogue鈥� with Jordan and were dissatisfied with the way the process was conducted.

The First Nations were left with no alternatives, nor were they given the opportunity to arrive at an autonomous decision through the principles of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Instead they were left 鈥榳earing the decision鈥� the federal government made for them.

Roberts said he is not a proponent/supporter of the aquaculture industry and shares the serious concerns of his community about the impact of open-pen fish farming in its traditional territory.

鈥淚鈥檓 not trying to give false hopes to the industry that we might have arrived at some sort of permission for them to stay, but it certainly could have been done in a way that was not so abrupt.鈥�

But as an elected chief with a background in economics and privy to understanding the full picture of the economic consequences of decisions, Roberts said there are several missed opportunities for everyone involved.

And according to him, no one is off the hook for the consequences of this decision 鈥� the federal and provincial government and aquaculture industry included.

Former We Wai Kai chief Brian Assu said they were 鈥渞ailroaded鈥� by the federal government鈥檚 decision, in a with MLA Michele Babchuk.

鈥淲e literally had 30 minutes between Wei Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum to consult with the minister and out of that, 15 minutes of it basically was telling us that she was going to announce her decision,鈥� said Assu.

鈥淲hen I say we got railroaded, I really truly mean that鈥� That鈥檚 our traditional territory and the (federal) government decided to base their decision on all external parties to us 鈥� including other First Nations. It was a mess,鈥� said Assu.

The actual site of the fish farms comes under core Laichwiltach territory (We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwaikah) and overlaps with four other First Nations (Tla鈥檃min, Klahoose, Homalco, K鈥櫭砿oks). But apart from these Nations, there were other commentators brought in to the discussion, said Roberts.

Lumping a broader regional group of First Nations into the process was unnecessary, as it interfered with the autonomy of the title-holding Nations in their jurisdiction, according to Roberts.

He is also disappointed with the process because all the rhetoric of reconciliation and commitment to UNDRIP were nothing more than 鈥渨indow dressings.鈥� According to him, the government did not get reconciliation right as it was not a 鈥済enuine consultation process鈥� and they weren鈥檛 afforded the opportunity to arrive at a decision on their own terms.

鈥淚f they鈥檙e going to recognize us as title holders in these areas, and it鈥檚 going to be our decision, then let鈥檚 establish the process that helps us arrive at a decision in a responsible way.鈥�

Instead of a shared decision making process or a consent-based model, it was the same old consult 鈥� where the minister hears your concerns (and Roberts gives Jordan the due recognition for listening to the concerns from the First Nations鈥� perspective) but still has the ultimate decision making power, he said.

鈥淪o even though it appears that the minister got it right this time, the risk is that nothing will change,鈥� said Roberts with regards to future consultations.

He feels that Jordan鈥檚 decision was more of a political move to meet Prime Minister Trudeau鈥檚 2019 election mandate that promised to remove open-pens from B.C.鈥檚 waters by 2025.

When asked about the First Nations鈥� dissatisfaction with the consultation process, Jordan鈥檚 office told the Mirror that prior to the decision to phase out the first farms in the Discovery Islands, the minster met directly with First Nations in the Discovery Islands, and 鈥渆very effort鈥� was made to have meaningful consultation.

鈥淥ur relationship with these Indigenous communities is extremely important, and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure they have a say in the economic activity that occurs on their territory,鈥� said Jordan in the statement.

The federal decision has been met with criticism from the industry and political leaders who have repeatedly pointed out the economic repercussions and jobs lost through this process.

Last week, B.C. Premier John Horgan criticized the federal government鈥檚 handling of the Discovery Islands consultation process.

But Roberts calls Horgan鈥檚 criticism 鈥渋ronic鈥� because they had approached the province to table a Broughton-like process before the federal government got involved.

But according to Roberts, the 鈥渄oor was shut without an explanation to us as to why.鈥�

As far as economic repercussions are concerned, the decision hit Wei Wai Kum鈥檚 businesses too.

The status quo the aquaculture industry was operating on was not okay, and for First Nations saving wild salmon and environmental sustainability will always be foremost priority. But probably there were missed opportunities for the industry too, said Roberts.

鈥淚 really wish there would be more appetite to explore things like land-based aquaculture, he said and added, 鈥渙r even closed containment.鈥�

He is tired of hearing the industry say that land based aquaculture is not a feasible option for them.

鈥淚鈥檇 like to see them step up and prove it or disprove it. Until then I don鈥檛 buy it,鈥� he said.