Youth members of the Tla'amin Nation placed personal mementos into a time capsule

Youth members of the Tla'amin Nation
placed personal mementos into a time capsule on Feb. 14 to celebrate the introduction of provincial legislation to ratify the Tla’amin treaty. The Tla’amin Nation is the eighth First Nation to witness the introduction of their treaty legislation in the B.C. legislature under the B.C. treaty process. The other seven are Tsawwassen First Nation, the five Maa-nulth First Nations and the Yale First Nation, which must still be ratified by Canada. “It is truly an honour to be a leader for the Tla’amin First Nation at this important time in our history,” said Chief Clint Williams. “Witnessing our youth celebrate another step toward their freedom is truly an inspiration. The journey to this point has been very challenging for our community. We will encounter new challenges as we continue to navigate our way to the effective date of our treaty. Overcoming those challenges will define us as Tla’amin. There is much work to do in our community as we prepare for our independence from the Indian Act.” Last June on the day the treaty was to be voted on in the community, a protest group blocked the voting station and the vote had to be postponed until the following month. The Tla’amin Final Agreement includes self-government provisions and phases out tax exemptions. The treaty will provide Tla’amin with a capital transfer of about $29.7 million, paid in 10 annual payments; economic development funding of about $6.9 million and a Fishing Vessel Fund of $.25 million; and more than 8,000 hectares of treaty land owned in fee simple, consisting of approximately 1,900 hectares of former Tla’amin Indian reserve land and 6,405 hectares of former provincial Crown land.