In what chief negotiator Robert Morales is calling a 乌鸦传媒渟ignificant step乌鸦传媒� the Hul乌鸦传媒檘umi乌鸦传媒檔um Treaty Group (HTG) on Vancouver Island announced Wednesday that the documents have been signed to move to Stage 5 乌鸦传媒� the 乌鸦传媒渇inal agreement乌鸦传媒� step of BC Treaty Negotiations.

The move comes after nearly 20 years stalled at Stage 4. The Treaty Group represents the First Nations of the Cowichan Valley area.

乌鸦传媒淭he B.C. Treaty process, when it was established in 乌鸦传媒�93, developed six stages and the first three stages were fairly quick, but Stage 4 was the 乌鸦传媒榓greement in principal乌鸦传媒� stage and that乌鸦传媒檚 where we乌鸦传媒檝e been stuck for 20 years now,乌鸦传媒� explained Morales. 乌鸦传媒淢oving into a 乌鸦传媒榝inal agreement乌鸦传媒� stage means that we乌鸦传媒檙e able to negotiate to enter into what I would term 乌鸦传媒榬eal乌鸦传媒� negotiation. We乌鸦传媒檙e no longer talking about what might be, we乌鸦传媒檙e now developing the final agreement, final treaty language and dealing with a lot of the issues we乌鸦传媒檝e had in the past. It乌鸦传媒檚 a significant step in the overall treaty process to be able to enter into the final treaty discussions and negotiations.乌鸦传媒�

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Though it乌鸦传媒檚 taken two decades to arrive at this point, Morales believes the process will now move forward more swiftly.

乌鸦传媒淲e set a goal of four years,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚n the transition document itself there are a number of commitments that are made by the two levels of government [federal and provincial] and the HTG and their member nations.乌鸦传媒�

Also, the set of guiding principals created for moving forward 乌鸦传媒渋s a vast improvement乌鸦传媒� over the way negotiations have been conducted up to this point, Morales noted.

乌鸦传媒淭he new policy is a very significant improvement and a policy agreed to by both Canada and B.C.,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭he transition document makes reference to a number of different commitments by Canada and B.C. that really set the stage for the final agreement negotiations. If we乌鸦传媒檙e able to implement all of that, I think it speaks to being able to move much more quickly.乌鸦传媒�

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Morales credits the willingness of both the federal and provincial governments to work with the HTG for being able to escape Stage 4.

乌鸦传媒淲e have for the first time some fairly congruent positions between the federal Liberal party and the (B.C.) NDP party so that made it a lot easier in terms of both levels of government being more agreeable to moving forward,乌鸦传媒� he said.

As well, the member nations of the HTG (Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Penelakut Tribe, Lyackson First Nation and the Ts乌鸦传媒檜ubaa-asatx (Lake Cowichan First Nations) are all in support of moving forward so the time that would have been spent on community votes was saved.

The communities will have to vote on ratification of the final agreement eventually.

Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett said 乌鸦传媒渢his new relationship is based on a recognition of rights. A rights recognition approach explicitly recognizes that Aboriginal rights are inherent and will not be extinguished or surrendered, and seeks to build a collaborative government-to-government relationship that is flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances over time.乌鸦传媒�

Cowichan Tribes is the largest band in B.C. with more than 5,000 members.

乌鸦传媒淎fter being in the treaty negotiation since 1993, this is a major step forward for our Hul乌鸦传媒檘umi乌鸦传媒檔um Nations,乌鸦传媒� said Cowichan Chief William Seymour.

Other member First Nations chiefs agreed.

Chief Georgina Livingstone (Ts乌鸦传媒檜ubaa-asatx [Lake Cowichan] First Nation) stated that she looks forward to continuing the work.

Chief Joan Brown of Penelakut Tribe said 乌鸦传媒淭his signing represents an important step in the reconciliation process and hopes it is the beginning of a strong, respectful relationship in the future.乌鸦传媒�

Chief Richard Thomas (Lyackson First Nation) said he 乌鸦传媒渨as overwhelmed by the length of time it has taken to get here.乌鸦传媒�

Chief Robert Thomas (Halalt First Nation) said 乌鸦传媒淲e never relinquished our title to the land and that this treaty is for our future generations of children and grandchildren.乌鸦传媒�

Morales, too, is pleased with the milestone and looks forward to the work ahead.

乌鸦传媒淚t all speaks to a very much improved relationship between Canada, B.C., and First Nations.乌鸦传媒�

sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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