Interesting article on the front page of Grand Forks Gazette this week.
Ellen Clements, president of New Nadina Resources, wrote a letter to the paper alleging that I have trespassed on her property, stolen her property, made derogatory remarks, encouraged others to trespass, and destroyed reclamation on private property.
These allegations are not new—she made the same allegations to the RCMP and the mines inspector. They did an investigation that did not result in any charges being laid against me. So these allegations have been investigated by the proper authorities.
Ms. Clements should now accept the conclusions of the investigation and refrain from making slanderous and libellous statements or she may find herself being sued.
The issue revolves around rights of citizens to access Crown lands. According to the BC Assessment website that lists all land titles in the province of B.C., the Phoenix area consists of many hundreds of lots in the Phoenix area including all the original lots in the town, the streets and larger acreages around the town. Many lots in town of Phoenix reverted back to the government for non payment of taxes.
So for Ms. Clements to state that “all the land in Phoenix is private and you are breaking the law by going there” is not true. If would be like saying that all the land in Grand Forks is private and nobody can come into Grand Forks.
I have also told Mrs. Clements that if she provides me with proof that she actually owns any land in Phoenix I will find that title on the BC Assessment map and will not go on that property—she has not provided me with any proof she owns any land there. Also there is no fence, signs or any indication that any of that land is in fact private.
The map she provided me is not a land titles map, it is a mineral claims map. I have no doubt that she has mineral claims and leases but that does not give her the right to keep citizens from accessing Crown lands.
– Frank Schlichtung, Grand Forks