By Mary Polak
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
March 28, 2012

VICTORIA - On March 24, I had the honour of joining representatives of the K'ómoks First Nation, federal minister John Duncan and other dignitaries to sign the K'ómoks First Nation's Agreement-in-Principle.

It is a milestone for K'ómoks and provides a framework that will eventually be developed into a Final Agreement.

Treaties and non-treaty agreements generate jobs for families and provide opportunities for First Nations and non-First Nation communities alike. They bring certainty to the land base, facilitate investment and build economic independence for First Nations. The treaty will do for the K'ómoks people and surrounding communities what it is doing for those communities that have gone before K'ómoks.

April 3 marks the third anniversary of the Tsawwassen treaty. In the past three years, Chief Kim Baird has secured significant investment and commitment to create jobs for Tsawwassen families and their neighbours. On the treaty's effective date, Tsawwassen First Nation made history when it became a member of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and Greater Vancouver Water District.

On April 1, 2011, I stood alongside hundreds of members of the five Maa-nulth Nations as they cheered - optimistic and bold about their future under treaty. A year later, Maa-nulth will pass the first anniversary of their treaty. Two Maa-nulth nations, Huu-ay-aht and Ucluelet, are about to join the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. Huu-ay-aht has also signed B.C.'s first-ever First Nations' woodland licence, giving them further economic opportunities.

Twelve years have passed since the Nisga'a Nation, north of Terrace, signed their final agreement - B.C.'s oldest modern-day treaty. The Nisga'a are still breaking new ground - exploring opportunities to grant their people individual property rights, and negotiating an agreement with BC Hydro that provides financial benefits, job opportunities for their members and an agreement to continue consultation on the Northwest Transmission Line.

With agreements in place, these First Nations are now focused on their future outside of the Indian Act. Anniversaries aside, numerous other First Nations across B.C. are engaged in the treaty process, with several reaching milestones in the past year.

Last June, B.C. passed legislation to ratify the Yale First Nation Final Agreement. We expect this treaty to come into effect in about two years. In October, Canada, B.C. and Tla'amin Nation (Sliammon First Nation) initialled their Final Agreement. The community will vote on their treaty in June.

The process of reaching a treaty is lengthy, and we realize we can't expect First Nations to wait indefinitely for economic benefits. That is why, increasingly, we are looking at Incremental Treaty Agreements (ITAs) and non-treaty agreements as a way to bring economic and social benefits to First Nations communities more quickly. The BC Jobs Plan includes a commitment to reach 10 new non-treaty agreements by 2015.

Reconciliation Protocols, Strategic Engagement Agreements and other non-treaty agreements are creating real progress in the short term. They allow First Nations to begin realizing the benefits of shared economic agreements with the Province. Perhaps most importantly, these types of agreements are building blocks that can be used to construct future treaties and other more comprehensive forms of reconciliation.

B.C.'s innovative approach is successfully providing benefits on the road to treaty. An ITA with Klahoose First Nation on Cortes Island allowed them to purchase a Tree Farm Licence that supports jobs for their members and neighbouring communities.

The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in Tofino is creating economic development opportunities, including a resort development and a clean energy project, with land they received through their ITA. The approach is working, and we are currently near to announcing a number of new ITAs.

B.C.'s treaty process is alive and well, but it's also important to recognize the progress that's being made beyond, and before, agreements-in-principle and final agreements. The work we are doing with First Nations will ensure that together, we can achieve the full economic potential of our resource rich province for all B.C. families.

Contact:
Maria Wilkie
Communications Director
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
250 953-3211