TREATY NEWS

TFN Treaty Society Negotiations Continue

posted July 9, 2007

Summer is normally a slow time for negotiations as fishing season and family vacation draw negotiation representatives away. However Chief Negotiator Gerald Wesley states the process continues with offices continuing local research efforts and collectively looking at options for various treaty approaches.

The last tripartite meeting was held in Victoria June 7 & 8 with a review and discussion on the fishery chapter. The TFN continues to express the need for Canada and B.C. to change and finalize their approach on commercial fishery issues. Canada is conducting internal review to determine how allocations can be arrived at that will not adversely effect other fishery harvesters including neighbouring First Nations further up the Skeena River – Gitxsan, Wet’suwet’en, Gitanyow and Lake Babine Nations. At the TFN treaty table, B.C. consistently states ‘we don’t have the mandate to address commercial fishery in treaty at this time’ which has been a major constraint on negotiations. Wesley states “the TFN will continue to pursue a commercial fishery mechanism within treaty, if we are not able to secure that key element of access to one of our most important natural resources, there will not be a treaty.”

The negotiators for TFN, Canada and B.C. will meet on August 1-3 to continue efforts on fisheries.

The TFN Treaty Society is currently in Stage IV or Agreement-in-Principle stage of the BC Treaty Commission process.

“Tsimshian First Nations resumed substantive negotiations in spring 2005 and have been working throughout the year on a consolidated draft agreement in principle and an incremental agreement on fish.

The First Nation’s traditional territory spans the Northwest Coast including Prince Rupert and Terrace.  The First Nation comprises approximately 2,500 people and five communities: Gitga’at, Kitasoo/Xaixais, Kitselas, Kitsumkalum and Metlakatla First Nations”.

(BC Treaty Commission Annual Report – 2006)

The TFN Treaty Society Negotiators along with Negotiators for Canada and British Columbia generally meet on a monthly basis.  Between negotiation meetings, the Tsimshian First Nations review meeting results, continue background research and generally plan for the next rounds of discussion.

The main topics of TFN treaty negotiations include: