Six First Nation communities say the B.C. government should have consulted with them before signing an accord with the Tsilhqot’in in February.
Last week the Lhtako Dene Nation in Quesnel and the four Northern Secwepemc te Qelmuc (NStQ) communities of Canim Lake Indian Band (Tsq’escen’), Williams Lake Indian Band (T’exelc), Soda Creek Indian Band (Xats’ull) and Stswecem’c/Xgat’tem (Canoe Creek / Dog Creek Indian Band), issued press releases voicing their concerns.
“The land claimed by the Tsilhqot’in in the accord covers a huge area of central B.C. including significant portions of Secwepemc territory and that of other neighbouring First Nation communities,” the NStQ board of directors stated in a press release.
Lhtako Dene (Red Bluff) Chief Terry Boucher congratulated the Tsilhqot’in people on their success in negotiating the agreement, but said her community is concerned the accord will impact their territory.
“We expect that both B.C. and the Tsilhqot’in Nation will work with us to resolve this overlap before further steps are taken to implement the accord within our territory,” Boucher said.
The NStQ leaders also acknowledged the different cultures, interests and governance structures of its First Nations neighbours and “sincerely thanked the leaders of Lhoosk’uz Dene First Nation and Lhtako Dene First Nation for their support and concern in extending a unified message regarding the lack of provincial consultation and colonial attitude regarding the future of our lands.”
Responding to their concerns, the Tsilhqot’in National Government said it plans to meet with neighbouring First Nation communities in the coming weeks to discuss moving forward and working together on reconciling mutual interests.
“Misunderstandings have a way of getting the best of people,” said TNG Chair Chief Joe Alphonse.
“We must celebrate this agreement for what it is. We are at the beginning of conversations between ourselves and government to reconcile our interests in the land and wildlife and to acknowledge that, we as First Nation people, are rightfully the appropriate governors of our own Nations.”
Alphonse said the Tsilhqot’in have traditional ways and a cultural duty to work through conversations with their neighbouring First Nations, and they look forward to these conversations..