VANCOUVER, BC, Xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam),
Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), June 25,
2024 /CNW/ - The BC Treaty Commission congratulates
Kitsumkalum First Nation, and the governments of Canada and British
Columbia on the initialling of the Kitsumkalum Treaty: A
Living Agreement.
"It is an honour to be here today to witness and celebrate this
milestone with the Kitsumkalum community, all the Parties, and
governments," says Chief Commissioner Celeste Haldane.
To mark the significance of this milestone, the Honourable Gary
Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and the
Honourable Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and
Reconciliation, along with representatives from the BC Treaty
Commission, President Eva Clayton
and other leaders from the Nisga'a Nation, local MP Taylor Bachrach and MLA Ellis Ross, and other
business and local leaders gathered to witness the initialling of
the Kitsumkalum Treaty. The Treaty was initialled by the Chief
Negotiators from each of the three Parties, including Kitsumkalum
Deputy Chief Troy Sam, and
represents a commitment to advance reconciliation and Kitsumkalum
self-determination and self-government. Kitsumkalum Chief
Councillor Don Roberts was unable to attend the event due to
illness, but an additional ceremony was held at his home to enable
him to initial the Treaty.
The Kitsumkalum Treaty is the second to be initialled (following
the Kitselas Treaty, which was initialled yesterday) 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. This achievement reinforces the effectiveness of
the BC negotiations framework in facilitating transformative change
through treaties, agreements, and other constructive
arrangements.
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 phase out of section
87 of the Indian Act tax exemptions.
The Kitsumkalum Treaty will also be a living Treaty and benefit
from other future innovations in reconciliation. Kitsumkalum First
Nation will vote on its Treaty later in 2025. If a majority of
Kitsumkalum 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.
Quick Facts:
- For further details, read the Tripartite news release
discussing the initialling of the Treaty and how the Parties will
move forward following today's events.
- In 2015, Kitsumkalum First Nation, the Government of
British Columbia and the
Government of Canada signed
the Kitsumkalum Agreement-in-Principle, providing a basis for
the Treaty.
- Kitsumkalum First Nation initially entered negotiations in 1993
as a member of the Tsimshian Tribal Council (now Tsimshian First
Nations).
- Kitsumkalum First Nation has approximately 850 members.
- There are eight self-governing Modern Treaty Nations in BC:
Nisga'a Nation, 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