Westbank takes a step toward self-government

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The Westbank First Nation's Self-Government Agreement was initialed on July 6 by Chief Ron Derrickson and , on behalf of the federal government, Senator Ross Fitzpatrick.

Simply put, the band will have increased controls over local matters and its affairs in terms of bylaws, land and resource management, Aboriginal language and culture and environment management. The bilateral self-government agreement provides the Westbank First Nation jurisdiction over most matters regulated in the past under the Indian Act. Specifically, lands and lands management, membership, financial management, landlord and tenant issues, resource management, agriculture, environment, culture and language, education and health for its members including enforcement of laws. Provisions in the agreement provide critical governance and land management authority to manage and give certainty to economic development on reserve lands.

Under the agreement, a Westbank Constitution will be established that defines practices that ensure democratic elections for chief and council, including fundamental rules ensuring procedural and administrative fairness with financial accountability, including appealing administrative decisions.

Additionally, the Westbank Constitution not only ensures political and financial accountability of the Westbank band members, it will put in place a mechanism by which non-Native residents on Westbank lands and those who have interests on Westbank lands may be represented.

With 8,000 non-Native residents on reserve lands and a growing commercial/business sector (which includes more than 100 businesses) on its 969 hectares, the band's interests are now protected under the self-government agreement.

Finally, Westbank will fully exercise jurisdiction over its infrastructure towards water, sewage, landfill, and roads services for residential and commercial use. For the first time the band will be eligible for municipal grants for community improvement, setting a provincial precedent.

It is anticipated band members will ratify the agreement this fall and the agreement will become law through parliamentary legislation within one year.