INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Vol. 46 - No. 13—July 04, 2019
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Ditidaht and Pacheedaht reach treaty ‘milestone’ Agreement In Principle entails $60 million in transfers, legal ownership over Crown and national parks land By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Victoria, BC - The Ditidaht and Pacheedaht signed an agreement that has been a quarter century in the making today, setting the First Nations up for the final stages of treaty negotiations with the province and Canada. Elected leaders inked a joint Agreement In Principle in Victoria, a document that includes the basis of separate treaty agreements for the two southern Nuuchah-nulth nations. The agreement lays the groundwork for final treaty implementation, with attention to territorial rights and obligations, as well as interests in land and waters that are formally recognized by Canadian law. On the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, the AIP was signed by Premier John Horgan, federal Member of Parliament John Aldag (on behalf of Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett), Ditidaht Chief Councillor Robert Joseph and Jeff Jones, chief councillor of the Pacheedaht First Nation. “This Agreement In Principle is a milestone,” said Jones before signing the AIP. “For Pacheedaht, it began when Europeans first visited our home on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It has not been an easy journey since settlers first arrived in our lands.” “Like other nations across the West Coast of Canada, we have faced hardship,” continued the chief councillor. “Despite this all, we decided to take a new relationship with the Crown through the treaty process.” At its current stage, the treaty proposes almost $20 in capital transfers to Pacheedaht and nearly $40 million to Ditidaht that would be paid upon implementation of the agreement, plus respective economic development funds of $1.8 and $3 million. Pacheedaht has approximately 280 members, while Ditidaht numbers 770. The proposed treaty land entails the nation’s existing reserves, plus areas to be transferred from Crown land and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. For the Pacheedaht this would include 175.9 hectares of reserve land, plus 1,593 of provincial Crown area and another 128 hectares transferred from the national park to the First Nation. The Ditidaht are set to own its 751 hectares of reserve land, almost 4,000 hectares of Crown land and 1,453 hectares of national park land in the southeastern portion of Vancouver Island.
Photo by Eric Plummer
Ditidaht Chief Councillor Robert Joseph, Pacheedaht Chief Councillor Jeff Jones and Premier John Horgan sign an Agreement in Principle at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria June 28, progressing the nations to the final stage of treaty negotiations. Behind them stands Scott Fraser, B.C.’s minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. years to work out a final agreement, but The province has also pledged to nations’ territory was restricted, Canada a number of issues remain to be settled made a land cash offer in 1979, but this establish a 54-kilometre gravel forest was rejected by the Pacheedaht and with the province and Canada, including road from Cowichan Lake to the end the how fisheries rights will be recogof Nitinaht Lake to benefit the Ditidaht Ditidaht. nized. “It was crazy. Nobody in their right community. mind would accept that,” recalled Joseph “The first thing we want to do is have a Joseph has been involved in treaty meaningful role in fisheries stewardship,” negotiations for the Ditidaht for decades. of the offer. “It was basically shoved Joseph said. “Resulting from our own acdown our throats. We didn’t have any He foresees his nation becoming more tion, we would have access to more fish, empowered to economically benefit from input into it.” that’s our vision. We have to find a way its land if a treaty is implemented. The Pacheedaht first filed their stateto protect that.” ment of intent to explore a modern-day “If you own everything and you can’t treaty in 1996, while the Ditidaht’s subSeveral Aboriginal groups in BC have develop your economy, you’re wasting reached the AIP stage of the treaty your time,” said Joseph, who expects the mission was made in 1993. Joseph said process - including the Yekooche First that his nation made progress when their treaty could have an influence on other negotiators decided to abandon a “comNation that signed their agreement back Aboriginal communities. “We would be in 2005 - but few have progressed to final negotiating things that would ultimately bative” approach. implementation. “For a good decade and a half we were be extended to all First Nations, because drawing lines in the sand and saying, Three modern-day treaties have been we’re starting to wake people up.” implemented in British Columbia, During the event, which was held at ‘This is our position, what’s yours?’ That’s combative and it doesn’t solve any including the Maa-nulth Final AgreeVictoria’s prestigious Empress Hotel, ment, which took effect April 1, 2011 problems,” he said. “Let’s be part of the speakers noted that the nations never for the Huu-ay-aht, Uchucklesaht, agreed to the establishment of the West process and you won’t have to consult Toquaht,Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ ̣ and Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/ with us.” Coast Trail when it was added to the Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations. He expects it could take another three region’s national park in 1973. After the
Inside this issue... Salmon allocations and sports fisheries.....................Page 3 2019 Graduating classes....................................Page 7 to 11 Language survival strategies....................................Page 12 Cathedral Grove congestion.................................. Pages 14 National Indignous Peoples Day..............................Page 18
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