The Voice of Canada News

The governments of Canada and British Columbia and the Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah First Nations have signed a new agreement that will advance reconciliation and treaty negotiations.

Chief Christopher Roberts of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Chief Steven Dick of the Kwiakah First Nation, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and the Honourable Scott Fraser, British Columbia’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, signed the Wei Wai Kum First Nation/Kwiakah First Nation Transition to Stage 5 and Treaty Revitalization Agreement. The Agreement will advance treaty negotiations to the final stage and guide the parties in the development of a treaty approach that recognizes the rights of Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah First Nations.

This new strategy explicitly recognizes that Aboriginal rights are inherent and will not be extinguished or surrendered. It seeks to build a collaborative government-to-government relationship that is flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances over time.

Under this approach to treaty making, key elements such as self-government, land ownership and stewardship, and law-making authorities will be written into a constitutionally protected core treaty. Administrative and policy matters may be addressed through supplementary agreements that can be more easily amended, allowing for the government-to-government relationship to evolve as laws, policies and interests change. This approach makes room for a treaty relationship that is flexible and able to adapt over time.

Working as partners and developing new innovative approaches to government-to-government agreements is key to achieving reconciliation and supporting healthy and prosperous Indigenous communities in Canada.