Accord binds B.C. and Tsilhqot’in in forward-thinking relationship

The Tsilhqot’in First Nation is one step closer to reconciliation, at least in regards to the provincial government of British Columbia.

The Nation and the province reached an accord Feb. 11 with the signing of an official declaration to work together over the next five years towards realization of the Supreme Court of Canada Tsilhqot’in decision, the first to recognize Aboriginal title over wide swaths of territory.

Premier Christy Clark made a special appearance to sign the Nenqay Deni Accord (the People’s Accord), joining John Rustad, minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and chiefs Roger Williams and Joe Alphonse.

“This dates back to the Supreme Court decision from June 2014, but the history with the nation goes back even farther…We’ve had, for more than 150 years, various levels of friction and conflict,” said Rustad.

“So we entered into a Letter of Understanding in September of 2014 which committed us to working towards a framework for negotiations. And as we went through the next 18 months of discussions, we went back and forth and entered into smaller agreements… culminating in entering into this new accord,” he said.

Rustad refers to a land claim issue that arose in 2014 as a key breaking point for the province and Tsilhqot’in. It was then that the real discussions started.

“One piece of the accord is to work through with the Tsilhqot’in over the five-year period, trying to address additional lands and how that governance will be structured,” said Rustad. “What we have committed, is that we will do shared decision-making on the land-base, and try to build consensus for activities that will be happening on their territory.”

Both the province and the Tsilhqot’in have identified eight specific “pillars” they want to address, including Tsilhqot’in culture and language, children and families, healthy communities, justice, education and training, and economic development, land and resources.

Tsilhqot’in Chief Alphonse is happy with the agreement, but feels there is still more work to be done.

“We want to be independent, and get where we were pre-contact with Europeans… When we relied on the natural resources from our territory to enable us to be independent,” he said, adding that he still points to the hanging of the Tsilhqot’in war chiefs in 1864 as an indication of the unfair trials and tribulations his people have had to go through with the federal government.

That year, five chiefs were executed in Quesnel, and a sixth was executed the year after in New Westminster. Then, in retaliation, Tsilhqot’in warriors lit New Westminster on fire, and burned part of it to the ground, he said. 

So while that initial message to the government from the Tsilhqot’in was clear—and even resulted in an early land claims victory for them--it was breached by the government years later, said Alphonse, contributing to the ongoing conflict between the two parties.
“This is only B.C. We also now have to point our arrows at Canada...” he said.

“Harper didn’t want to deal with us, but with Justin Trudeau, we are optimistic, we are happy, and we are encouraged. We hope the province will help us find innovative ways to bring Canada to our table,” said Alphonse.