North Vancouver, BC — Leaders of the First Nations Summit are urging the governments of British Columbia and Canada to engage in good faith negotiations with First Nations who are currently engaged in the BC treaty negotiations process.
The Summit is disturbed over remarks made by BC Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Dale Lovick, who has suggested that an apology from the Snuneymuxw First Nation is owed to both governments over accusations that governments are not negotiating in good faith with the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
“The governments are way off base if they think any First Nation should apologize for the governments’ lack of good faith negotiations at treaty tables. Clearly, the governments have continued to come to the treaty negotiation tables with unilateral preconditions that are clearly unacceptable to First Nations as it flies in the face of the principles of good faith negotiations. It is time the governments recognized that they have a legal obligation to negotiate with First Nations in good faith”, said Grand Chief Edward John, a member of the Summit’s Executive.