VANCOUVER, BC, Xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam),
Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), June 24,
2024 /CNW/ - The BC Treaty Commission congratulates
Kitselas First Nation, the Government of Canada, and the Government of British Columbia on the initialling of the
Kitselas Treaty: A Living Agreement.
Today the Treaty Commission witnessed the initialling of the
Treaty at Kitselas Canyon, which is in the heart of its traditional
territory, located near Terrace.
The Treaty was initialed by the Chief Negotiators of each Party,
including Kitselas Chief Councillor Glenn Bennett. The Honourable
Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and
the Honourable Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and
Reconciliation, also initialed the Treaty as witnesses. The
Kitselas community was joined by hereditary chiefs and leadership
from neighbouring First Nations, including Nisga'a Nation President
Eva Clayton, local MP Taylor Bachrach and MLA Ellis Ross, MP Taleeb
Noormohamed, and other business and local leaders.
This milestone reinforces the effectiveness of the BC
negotiations framework in facilitating transformative change
through treaties, agreements, and other constructive
arrangements.
The Kitselas Treaty is the first to be initialed after the
creation of the Recognition and Reconciliation of Rights Policy
for Treaty Negotiations in British
Columbia and other major changes, such as the provincial
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the
federal United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples Act.
There are eight modern treaties currently being implemented in
British Columbia. Modern Treaties
are living agreements – not full and final. All Modern Treaty
Nations in BC have been able to include new benefits and
innovations from new policies and legislation, such as recent
changes to the policy previously requiring the phasing out of
section 87 of the Indian Act tax exemptions.
The Kitselas Treaty will also be a living treaty and benefit
from other future innovations in reconciliation. Kitselas First
Nation will vote on its Treaty in April
2025. If a majority of Kitselas members vote in favour of
the Treaty, it will then be sent to the provincial and federal
legislatures for ratification. Once ratified by the two
governments, there will be a transition period after which the
Treaty will go into effect and begin implementation.
"We congratulate the three Parties on achieving this significant
milestone, which represents the culmination of shared dedication,
respect, and understanding for Kitselas self-governance and a
prosperous future for all Canadians" says Chief Commissioner
Celeste Haldane. "This Treaty will
evolve over time just as the Nation-to-Nation,
government-to-government-to-government relationship amongst the
Parties will evolve and strengthen into the future."
Quick Facts:
- For more information, please see the Tripartite News Release on
the initialling of their Treaty and next steps.
- Kitselas First Nation entered the BC treaty negotiations
process in 1993 as a member of the Tsimshian Tribal Council (now
Tsimshian First Nations) and has approximately 750 members.
- In 2015, Kitselas First Nation, the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia signed the Kitselas
Agreement-in-Principle, setting out the basis for completing treaty
negotiations.
- There are eight self-governing Modern Treaty Nations in BC:
Tsawwassen First Nation, Huu-ay-aht First Nations,
Ka:'yu:'k't'h'/Che:k'tles7et'h' First Nations, Toquaht Nation,
Uchucklesaht Tribe, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) First Nation, and Tla'amin
Nation.
ABOUT THE BC TREATY
COMMISSION
The Treaty Commission is the independent body responsible for
overseeing treaty and tripartite reconciliation negotiations among
the governments of Canada,
British Columbia and First Nations
in BC. It has three main roles: facilitation, funding, and public
information and education.
SOURCE BC TREATY COMMISSION