Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs stands with chiefs in Victoria and calls for province to pull back on K'ómoks and Kitselas treaties

Leaders of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, the Nine Allied Tribes, and the Lax Kw'alaams Band gather in Victoria on April 28 to call for the pausing of the K'ómoks and Kitselas treaties. Photo by Alec Lazenby

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The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs is supporting a number of First Nations in a bid to pause the province’s plans to ratify two new modern treaties because of overlapping land claims.

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Two weeks ago, the province introduced treaties for the K’ómoks, who reside on central Vancouver Island, and the Kitselas, who live around Terrace and Port Essington in northwest B.C., in the legislature for ratification after more than 30 years of talks.

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The treaties will give the nations ownership of the land within the treaty area as well as self-government rights and government funding.

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On Tuesday, in Victoria, the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, the Nine Allied Tribes, and the Lax Kw’alaams Band joined together to call for a 180-day pause on debate of the two treaties in the legislature and complained that there has been little to no negotiations between the nations and the K’ómoks and Kitselas.

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They’re threatening legal action unless the province updates the treaties to ensure they will not impinge on the traditional territory, title or right of the other First Nations.

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Wei Wai Kum Chief Chris Roberts said that 80 per cent of the land recognized as K’ómoks in the new treaty overlaps with territories claimed by the Laich-kwil-tach, the southern group of four nations that are part of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations.

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The Wei Wai Kum is one of those four nations that make up the Laich-kwil-tach.

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Roberts said that if the province decides to move forward with the treaty, his nation is prepared to review all legal options and indicated his members may take other steps as well, hinting at the potential for blockades of key sites.

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“People need to remember what we have in our territory. We have a B.C. Hydro dam that covers nearly 50 per cent of the Vancouver Island’s power needs. We have the Island Highway, which runs through our lands, our territory and past reserves. We have an $800 million wind farm project we’re trying to advance for the benefit of all people in the North Valley region and support economic growth and development,” said Roberts.

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“Those are just some of the things that are being put at risk and jeopardized by this continued inaction and forcing this treaty ahead.”

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Despite the First Nations being in Victoria for two weeks, there has been little progress toward reaching a deal to pull the treaty legislation, said Lax Kw’alaams Mayor Gary Reece.

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Reece said they were told by Kitselas chief negotiator David Try it’s “not necessary and not appropriate to delay legislation on both these treaties.”

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“You can’t say this is about partnerships and respect and then push the legislation forward while ignoring the very nations that it impacts,” he said.

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Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs vice-president Linda Innes, a member of the Gitxaala Nation, represented Grand Chief Stewart Phillip at the event, with Phillip still tending to his wife, Joan Phillip, who is also the NDP MLA for Vancouver-Strathcona, at a Vancouver hospital.