STATEMENT
Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver, BC) – The First Nations Summit (FNS) acknowledges receipt of the report released today by Douglas Eyford, Ministerial Special Representative to the Hon. Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). The report, entitled A New Direction: Advancing Aboriginal and Treaty Rights, examines Canada’s Comprehensive Claims Policy and also looks at and provides recommendations on the BC treaty negotiations process.
The FNS is encouraged that the report acknowledges the complex history of treaty negotiations in BC, as well as the need for the Principals (First Nations Summit, Canada and BC), to commit to and work together to improve the negotiations process in order to achieve fair, just, equitable and timely treaty agreements. While the current negotiations process in BC has taken much longer than originally anticipated, this report, clearly indicates we have a collective opportunity to work together to find the necessary and appropriate solutions to move forward.