Open House on Lheidli T’enneh Treaty
Prince George, B.C. – With the Lheidli T’enneh set to have a second vote on the treaty developed with the Province nearly 10 years ago, an open house has been set for this week to share details of that package.
The open house is set for Wednesday at the Civic Centre from 5 – 8 pm.
The Lheidli T’enneh will be holding their second vote on the treaty this fall. The package remains the same as the one rejected in the first vote in 2007.
The package for the Lheidli T’enneh includes 4330 hectares of land, and out of that, about 1183 hectares is land that is located within the boundaries of the City of Prince George.” The City has been holding those parcels since 2007 when the final agreement was developed pending the potential for a second vote. The agreement also provides a cash component of $27 million dollars (indexed to inflation) revenue sharing and fishing rights in addition to self governance.
Minister of Aboriginal Relations John Rustad says the open house is an opportunity for members of the Lheidli T’enneh to get more details on the treaty “One of the things that is critical to any vote, is to make sure people have accurate information. Often, as we have seen in other treaty votes and in the case of the Lheidli T’enneh, there is a lot of misinformation that goes around, there’s rumours, there’s partial information, what the open house does is make sure people have the information, have people hear what the plans are, most importantly to make sure people have an informed vote.”
Rustad doesn’t think the treaty will have any direct impact on the residents of Prince George “I think what you will see is additional integration between Lheidli T’enneh and Prince George upon a successful vote. That’s not to say they don’t work well now, but as Lheidli expands or takes advantage of the lands they might have, or other resources that would be available through a successful treaty I’m sure, there will be numerous reciprocal agreements that would be arranged between the Nation and the City. For people in general, what we have seen in other treaties in B.C. we’ve seen an unleashing of some economic potential that will certainly benefit the whole region.”
If accepted, it is possible the Lheidli T’enneh would have a seat at the table of the Regional District’s Board of Directors, that has been the case in other regions of the Province where treaties have been ratified says Rustad.
The vote will be held in three different locations in October, in Vancouver on October 15th, Prince Rupert October 18th , and in Prince George on October 21st and 22nd.
Comments
Throw in the Park and ya got a deal.
The “Open House ” open to the public???
Funny how the Government and others when they don’t get the result they want, then want to go to a second vote. This agreement was rejected on the first vote 10 years ago.
Same thing with Brexit. Britain voted to leave the EU, and almost immediately people were asking for a second vote.
One of the excuses they use is that people did not understand the issue, however you never hear this type of BS when the vote goes in favour of the Government or those in power.
Will they have the audacity to go to a third vote if this one should fail??? It would be interesting.
Well the last time it was ‘take it or leave it’, but really at some point our governments are going to have to sign a treaty. They look pretty stupid taking over 200 years to negotiate a deal.
Everyone except the Europeans . They can’t wait to get rid of the whiny little Brits . They’ve been a thorn inside the eu for 43 years standing in the way of everything except special favour for them . The French have already figured out how to skim the best and the brightest of Brits young by offering them dual citizenship. Then there’s Scotland . They ain’t leavin .
If you were actually paying attention you would see that the EU DOES not want to get rid of the “whiny little Brits”. The EU would like the UK to stay for obvious military and economic reasons; however, since the UK voted to go the EU wants the exit to proceed on their terms and not the UK’S. The UK thinks they can take their time leaving and cherry pick what they want to keep from their EU association, while abandoning the rest. The EU is saying no. If you want to leave then leave, but don’t try to delay the exit in order to get the best exit deal you can. Just get out.
Also, there is no way in Hell that the EU will allow the Scots and the Northern Irish to maintain EU membership. The EU leadership is not going to support anything that could facilitate the break up of the UK.
One of the biggest negatives of the “Brexit” vote could be the re-igniting of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland.
I pay very close attention to Europe HaHaha . Briton didn’t adopt the € . Britain was allowed the fewest imagrants sponsorships . Britain was a net gainer finacially . As for military . The EU doesn’t have one . I don’t think that leaving the EU is going to affect NATO . All though Putin is gleefull but then he also endorses Trumpf .
I have to question Rustad’s comment “Nation and the City”. There is very little support in law that Indian societies constitute a nation in Canada.
Why would they vote to accept the very same deal they turned down 10 years? Does Rusted think 10 years of rust is going to make that treaty look better to the people who turned it down the first time?
If I was Native, I’d be insulted that Rustad would bring back the deal, unchanged, and say, “could you please vote yes this time. You just didn’t get it the last time you rejected it”. The vote would be no just for that alone.
How can you own all the land when you didn’t pay for it in the first place? Just because you get out of your canoe on the riverbank doesn’t mean its all yours. My ancestors came here many years ago, I want some land and cash as well. Oh, and some salmon and moose.
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