The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is calling for the province to hit pause on two treaty bills until issues related to overlapping territories are addressed.
“Moving forward without resolving shared territory and overlap issues risks undermining relationships between Nations and creating long-term uncertainty,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip in a statement Thursday.
He said the concerns raised by neighbouring First Nations reflect longstanding issues with Crown negotiation practices.
The province tabled the treaty bills with the K’ómoks and Kitselas last week, holding separate events at the legislature with representatives each First Nation.
Once ratified, the K’ómoks treaty would confirm the First Nation owns about 34 square kilometres of land on central Vancouver Island’s east coast, with an option to purchase more land from the province.
The Kitselas treaty would grant the First Nation more than 380 square kilometres scattered near Terrace, in west-central B.C.
The implementation bills mark the first step toward ratification of the agreements, though there are still several steps before the treaties can fully take effect.
Premier David Eby hailed them as historic milestones for the province and the individual First Nations, after more than 30 years of treaty negotiations.
He said the treaty process is a way to bring more certainty and predictability to relations between the province and First Nations.
But the neighbouring Wei Wai Kum First Nation, the Nine Allied Tribes, and Lax Kw’alaams Band say the process has only created uncertainty for their members.
The Nine Allied Tribes and Lax Kw’alaams Band have said they were “blindsided” by the B.C. government’s decision to move forward with the Kitselas treaty implementation bill.
They said the proposed treaty legislation would extend Kitselas treaty lands and rights into their territories without their consent, and the province has failed to address their concerns throughout the consultation process.
The Wei Wai Kum First Nation, near Campbell River, is also calling for a halt on the K’ómoks treaty bill, saying the territorial claims are too broad.
Leaders from the First Nations rallied in front of the legislature on Monday.
“There’s no doubt we support them getting the treaty, but when they reach into our territory, claiming our territory, we do not agree with that,” Lax Kw’alaams Band Mayor Garry Reece
He said the First Nation will oppose major projects in the north coast region if the proposed treaties move forward.
Wei Wai Kum Chief Chris Roberts said it seems like the government rushed to introduce the treaty bills during the spring legislative session.
He said the First Nations are calling for a 180-day pause to the treaty process, and for the province to re-establish a standing committee on aboriginal affairs to facilitate discussions.
“Our people are growing restless, our people are concerned for the future of what this means,” said Roberts. He added that the First Nation is considering legal action if the treaties move forward as they are.
The province has said there will be more opportunities for consultations with neighbouring First Nations as the ratification process goes forward, including for protocol agreements negotiated between the nations.
Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert said the province has been supporting conversations between the First Nations.
He disagreed that the process of tabling the legislation has been rushed.
“Those conversations need to continue and I know they will,” he said Thursday. “This isn’t the finish line, in fact we’re still very much doing this work together.”
