It’s not the 180-day pause some neighboring Nations wanted, but the second and third readings of the Kitselas Treaty Act will be delayed until the fall as time ran out for debate this legislative session.
The K’omoks Treaty Act however, which had be introduced on back-to-back days with the Kitselas Treaty in late April, received its third reading this week.
For the Kitselas First Nation, its another delay to a process over 30 years in the making, but David Try, Kitselas’s Senior Treaty Negotiator, says the fact the K’omoks Treaty Act passed it’s third reading, bodes well for the Kitselas Treaty Act later this year
‘We’re really pleased and excited to hear that the K’omoks Treaty has made it through the BC Legislative process, and we consider this to be a very good omen for Kitselas moving forward into the fall.’ – David Try, Kitselas First Nation’s Senior Treaty Negotiator
David adds that the delay is disappointing but was not a shock or surprise; an apologetic Premier Eby had personally reached out to Kitselas about two weeks ago to inform them the Treaty would not be read able to be read this sitting due to time constraints.
‘The Premier was kind enough to call us and alert us that the legislative agenda, budget acts, and some other acts had taken much longer than expected and as a result things were going to be bumped into the fall agenda, and he apologized (on behalf of the BC NDP) that it was wasn’t going through’ -David Try, Kitselas First Nation’s Senior Treaty Negotiator
Speaking to CFNR News about the ongoing disputes with other Nations, David confirmed that a discussion on a protocol agreement is underway with Gitxaala Nation and that Kitselas representatives have been in contact with other neighboring Nations to discuss a way forward. He says this work will continue over the summer months and that the final version of the protocol agreement with Gitxaala will likely be used as a template for agreements with other Nations.
David also stressed that while some Nations have called for a pause on the passing of the Treaty Act to make room for more discussion on disputes, this should not be taken as a sign that anyone is seeking to stop the Treaty process altogether.
‘Nobody, at any time or in any discussion I’ve had with any politician or First Nation, nobody is calling for this treaty to be cancelled… or the K’omoks Treaty or the Kitsumkalum Treaty. Even those letters that other First Nations had posted, they were very clear, they support Kitselas’s right to decide, including the right to decide to go into a Treaty.’ – David Try, Kitselas First Nation’s Senior Treaty Negotiator
The second reading of the Kitselas Act in the BC Legislature has been pushed back until at least October 5th, but even so, David Try says the effective implantation date has not changed, and the processes at the Federal level will continue while awaiting the province to follow through on it’s part.
This article incorporates contributions from CFNR News reporter Jeff Blagden
