Premier Christy Clark and B.C. cabinet ministers met with about 500 First Nations leaders from across the province during the B.C. cabinet-First Nations leaders’ gathering in Vancouver.
A framework document agreed to at the meeting commits the province and First Nations leadership council members to keep working on a reconciliation agreement that would settle historic land claims across the province.
In a recent press release, the government of B.C. said it recognizes that Aboriginal title in British Columbia exists “without question and dispute.”
“The challenge and opportunity is how to implement title across British Columbia given that a diversity of views exists on how best to achieve this in the most collaborative and timely way,” said the press release.
The proposed commitment document sets out a draft agenda that will seek to close economic and social gaps, provide for collaboration on land and resource decisions, and support First Nations being full partners in the B.C. economy.
The proposed commitment document also acknowledges that reconciliation is “a journey, not an end,” and means different things for individual First Nation communities. The proposed plan highlights the importance of working collaboratively with First Nation communities throughout B.C. as well as seeking input from business, industry and advocacy groups.
Lake Babine Nation (LBN) Chief Wilf Adam said he had the opportunity to discuss LBN’s rights and titles issues directly with ministers and the premier during the gathering. Chief Adam said the proposed commitment document is a positive move forward.
“We’ll see what kind of results it will produce throughout the year,” he said.
Grand Chief Ed John of the First Nations Summit said the first two years of these province-wide meetings have gotten off to a rocky start, but expressed the hope that “by year 10 we’ll have paved the road.”
In his closing speech, John reflected on his own time at a residential school, and described a new generation of young people that is emerging from the social upheaval of that policy.
“I couldn’t even see my sister on the other side of the building, even though she was in the same residential school as I was,” John said. “That disconnect became the norm for us.”
Chief Shane Gottfriedson, Regional Representative of the Assembly of First Nations, echoed John’s call for a resolution to land issues that started in 1859 when colonial governor James Douglas proclaimed that all lands and resources in B.C. belong to Crown.
The province and the First Nations leadership council will now review the proposed commitment document and report out in accordance with an agreed engagement and reporting structure.
The First Nations leadership council is comprised of the political executives of the First Nations Summit, the B.C. Assembly of First Nations and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.
– With files from Tom Fletcher
