Amid the considerable recent gloom about the drawn-out treaty process, news of an agreement-in-principle reached this week is a ray of light. Five southern 91原创 Island First Nations signed a tentative agreement Thursday for land and cash from the federal and provincial governments. It鈥檚 an important step toward the final agreement that would see the Songhees, Beecher Bay, Malahat, T鈥橲ou-ke and Snaw-Naw-As First Nations 鈥� members of the Te鈥檓exw Treaty Association 鈥� receive $142 million and about 1,565 hectares of Crown land.
While the agreement-in-principle is not legally binding, it is evidence that participants are negotiating in good faith and all appear to be on the same page. First Nations chiefs involved are enthusiastic about the process, and B.C. Aboriginal Relations Minister John Rustad says the government is committed to completing the deal.
The spirit of optimism and co-operation that characterized this week鈥檚 meeting is in contrast to the confusion and dismay that surrounded the cancelled appointment last month of George Abbott as head of the B.C. Treaty Commission.
In September, Rustad offered Abbott the opportunity to replace chief commissioner Sophie Pierre, whose term ended March 31. As the MLA for Shuswap, Abbott earned wide respect serving in several cabinet positions in the B.C. Liberal government. His portfolios included the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women鈥檚 Services.
The choice of Abbott to head the commission garnered widespread approval. First Nations chiefs passed a resolution formally appointing him, and the appointment was fully supported by the B.C. NDP. Six months of work went into preparing for the transition, but at the last minute, the B.C. government yanked Abbott鈥檚 appointment, to the surprise and dismay of all other participants in the treaty process.
The retiring chief commissioner was especially critical. 鈥淕eorge Abbott is a man of integrity, intelligence and extensive experience who would have benefited the treaty process, First Nations and all British Columbians,鈥� Pierre said. 鈥淭his retraction of the chief commissioner selection after months of agreement, expectation and reliance by the other parties raises questions about B.C.鈥檚 commitment to the treaty negotiation process.鈥�
鈥淭his is not how to effect reconciliation.鈥�
The government鈥檚 explanation? 鈥淲e鈥檝e decided to go in a new direction.鈥�
Premier Christy Clark apologized for the clumsy way the situation was handled, but she said the treaty process is taking way too long, at too much cost and with too few results. She said the process needs reforming, a stance backed up by a federal report that noted that of 53 negotiations underway, no more than 10 are likely to produce treaties in the near future.
The treaty process aims to correct longstanding wrongs. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 stated that the Crown must negotiate and sign treaties with the indigenous people before land could be ceded to a colony. The government of the Colony of British Columbia, however, largely ignored that proclamation, and those of us alive today are left to try to remedy that arrogant act of omission. It requires trust, time, patience, compromise and constructive ideas, not a vague 鈥渘ew direction.鈥�
鈥淭he wrongs that treaty negotiations have set out to address have been compounded over more than 150 years,鈥� Pierre wrote in a 91原创 Sun commentary this week. She agrees the process needs improving, but should not be abandoned.
鈥淣ow is the time for the principals to the B.C. treaty negotiations process 鈥� to re-energize, not walk away from, treaty negotiations,鈥� she wrote.
It鈥檚 to everyone鈥檚 advantage that the treaty process make meaningful progress. The tentative agreement signed this week is an encouraging sign that progress can and will happen.
