BC switches gears for new relationship

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After 140 years the B.C. government has prepared to come to terms with Aboriginal title and rights and will develop a new relationship with First Nations in the province.

The new relationship was promised in the government's throne speech on Sept. 12. It is essentially an agreement between the First Nations and the B.C. government to work towards common goals and establishes processes for future negotiations over issues such as self-determination, land claims, education and the environment.

The new relationship is backed by more than good intentions. The B.C. government has committed $100 million to the agreement that will provide First Nations with the resources necessary to conduct negotiations.

"Ending 140 years of denial of Aboriginal title and rights and building a relationship based on the recognition of Aboriginal title and rights will require necessary financial commitments," said Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nations Summit.

"For far too long in this province economic development has proceeded perhaps at the expense of First Nations people rather than seeing them benefit," said Tom Christensen, minister for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

Discussions surrounding the new relationship began in the fall of 2004 when the premier's office approached First Nations leadership to initiate talks to find a way to resolve outstanding issues, said Chief Stewart Phillip of the B.C. First Nations Leadership Council.

"Those discussions progressed to the point where on March 17 all of the chiefs of British Columbia assembled at a meeting in Richmond and we signed a leadership accord," he said.

The leadership accord was significant in that Native leaders had not come together in such a way since the federal White Paper policy of 1969 was fought.

At that March 17 meeting, B.C. chiefs agreed to support the dialogue for the new relationship, said Phillip.

The leadership accord and the dialogue with the government came at a very contentious time in the province of British Columbia, during an election. After Premier Gordon Campbell's re-election, he came to the First Nations leadership and said the province was still committed to the agreements they had reached, Phillip said.

The promised new relationship includes new processes and structures for co-ordinating decision-making about the use of land and resources. It also includes discussion of revenue sharing that reflects Aboriginal title and rights and assists First Nations with economic development.

In addition the new relationship commits to a plan for developing scenarios in which the concepts of the agreement can be made to work.

"It sets out a vision that begins to talk about a new government-to-government relationship based on respect, recognition and accommodation of Aboriginal title and rights, and it talks about a need to respect each other's laws and responsibilities," said Shawn Atleo, B.C. regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

"This stems from the notion that at no time has First Nations ever given up their laws. We (as leaders) have no right to do that," he said.