A few more treaty-related stories …

The news stories dissecting the demise of the Lheidli T’enneh treaty continue. Here are just a few more, selected for the position and perspective of their authors.

Treaty-making is not in trouble (Former BC Premier Mike Harcourt; alternative link)

Treaties are not about extinguishing aboriginal rights. Treaties are about recognizing, respecting, updating and protecting aboriginal rights on a mutually agreed and constitutionally protected basis.

The treaty road doesn’t have to lead to ‘no’ (Treaty Negotiator Robert Morales, Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group; alternative link)

We have not invested over 13 years of time, good faith, energy and financial resources into this process to see it fail.

However, we refuse to allow progress to be measured by how much First Nations are willing to give up.

Speaker rejects treaty process (Alberni Valley Times)

The son of one of Canada’s great modern aboriginal leaders is calling on BC First Nations to back away from the treaty process.

Arthur Manual, son of the late George Manual, gave a power-point presentation at the Hupacasath House of Gathering on Friday. Manual’s message was clear and to the point: treaty negotiations are a rigged game - international economic pressure will force Ottawa to concede political power to First Nations, along with massive compensation for historic infringement of
aboriginal rights.

“They owe us compensation back to 1846 - they’ll never be able to pay it back, because the money has been spent,” Manual told his audience. In lieu of money, Ottawa and the provinces will be forced to realign the division of political powers to include “Indian people” (Manual’s preferred term for First Nations).

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