The tug that sank more than a month ago near Bella Bella is now out of the water. The tug was removed at 6pm Monday. Chief Councilor of the Heilstuk Nation, Marilyn Slett, says she’s relieved the tug is out of the water but points out it's just the beginning for her community. She says after the rest of the world stops paying attention, the Heilstuk people will still be left to clean up the mess. “The Clam fishery has been shut down and we are feeling the economic impact of that already. I don’t understand how she (Christy Clark) can travel to Britain and not reach out to the community.”
Slett says even though it’s been 33 days, she has still not heard from BC Premier Christy Clark and says it’s ironic that Clark is in Britain attending a ceremony inducting the Great Bear Rain Forest into the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy. “Our Partner hasn’t, from her level of Governance reached out to us.”
Chief Slett says next steps include shoreline assessments, environmental monitoring and cleanup, as well as an independent investigation by the Heiltsuk Nation into the accident.