Witness to An Historical Agreement
Sources: personal observation and press kit
Background:
As background to this article I would like to quote from a previous Blog No. 2.
Quite remarkable is the First-Nations Cemetery which is located in the park near the Fraser River. It is a sanctuary, surrounded by a hedge, with a fitting portal leading to a central place of commemoration. it is a lasting testimonial of the First-Nations people, the Lheid-LI tenne, who long ago preceded the arrival of the explorers.
An historical marker at the site gives the following information, in a most understated fashion.
"The early colonist located in this area recognized the land value and its strategic placement as a potential transportation corridor. Hence the expropriation of these lands from the Lheid-LI tenne was effected on November 18, 1911.
The Catholic Church and the Indian agent were instrumental in convincing the reluctant indigenous occupants to sell. Today, all that remains is the 1.2 acre site within the parameters of Fort George Park. The Lheid-LI tenne were relocated to a site approximately fifteen miles north on the Fraser River which is known today as Shelley.
Present day Lheid-LI tenne graciously accepted the current usage of this historic site for all to enjoy. This acceptance is given with the understanding that the ancestors of the Nation will be respected with the greatest honour and respect."
Today's Events
"History in the making" is a catchphrase that certainly grabs one's attention, but it is seldom that one can actually be a witness to "history in the making".
For that to happen I went to the Prince George Civic Center (see Blog No. 2) on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006 at 12:00 for an historic treaty signing of the Final Agreement between the Lheidli T'enneh Band (pronounced "clay-klee-ten-ay"), the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.
The Lheidli T'enneh Band are a branch of the Carrier Nation. Their main village is the Shelley Reserve on the bank of the Fraser River just outside Prince George.
Representing the Lheidli T'enneh was Chief Domininc Frederick, while British Columbia was represented by Premier Gordon Campbell (Liberal) and the Government of Canada by the Minister of Indian Affairs, Jim Prentice (Conservative).
What is historic about this signing is that the Lheidli T'enneh is the first Band to reach a Final Agreement under the British Columbia treaty process.
To quote from a ceremonial scroll which Premier Campbell himself distributed around the room at the end of the ceremony:
The agreement is seen as:
"a profound turning point for all British Columbians - that will be remembered as a day on which the light of reconciliation burned warmly enough to guide us all beyond the many shadows of a long and sorrowful history to a future bright with shared certainly and opportunity" ------
------ we come together today in the spirit of a New Relationship (sic) between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of British Columbia that will allow us to bridge the gap between the pain of the past and the potential of our future"
The Final Agreement provides the Lheidli T'enneh people with certain rights and benefits regarding land (4.5 million hectares) and resources as well as self-government over its land and its citizens.
The negotiation of a Final Agreement marks Stage Five of a six-stage British Columbia treaty process and is the conclusion of a long 13 years substantive treaty negotiation.
Once ratified by all parties, the Final Agreement will become a treaty through legislation.
In the concluding news conference Premier Campbell indicated the treaty would cost the government of British Columbia $73 million while Chief Frederick indicated that 70% of his people would have to vote in favour of the agreement in order to ratify it.
Final ratification by all parties is probably a year away.
An important fact is that with the exception of determining Indian status the federal Indian Act will no longer apply to the Lheidli T'enneh and will be replaced with self-government.
A constitution will enshrine a democratic government that is fiscally accountable to its citizens.
A theme that was repeated several times during the ceremonial speeches was that the treaty is for the children and grand-children of the Lheidli T'enneh people.
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