Skip to content

Tla’amin Nation celebrates anniversary

First nation recognizes self-governing status attained two years ago
Tla'amin Governance House
WARM WELCOME: A carved figure welcomes all Tla’amin Nation citizens and visitors to the nation’s governance house on Klahanie Road. David Brindle photo

Tla’amin Nation is inviting its neighbours in the Powell River region to join in celebrating the second anniversary of the historic Tla’amin Final Agreement, which ushered in a new era of self-government and self-reliance at one minute after midnight on Thursday, April 5, 2016.

People who attended that momentous event remember the new nation’s citizens symbolically throwing pages from the Indian Act into a bonfire in front of the nation’s governance house. The treaty was 20 years in the making and ended 150 years of being federally governed under the authority of the act.   

The last two years have seen Tla’amin grow in economic activity, primarily through its extensive land holdings and forestry, and the nation now has plans for development. Its political clout and influence in the region, and on provincial and federal levels, is growing.

Regionally, the relationship is good, but the nation has resisted taking a seat at the district table.

“We're not willing to at the moment,” said hegus Clint Williams. “We will see how this development goes with this newfound freedom before we go and commit to that, so we're going to try this independence out before we make any big commitment.”

Tla’amin continues to build a strong relationship in the education of its aboriginal youth with School District 47, and Tla’amin Health provides fully accredited health services and cultural traditions for the well-being of its citizens.

Tla’amin is not without its challenges, said Williams.

“There are so many things going on it's easy to forget one or two things,” said Williams. “It's very good to have good people to assign some of these tasks to because there's no way one person can do it alone. It's all teamwork of the council and also of the staff who do such a great job.”  

Williams said everyone is welcome to join with Tla’amin citizens in marking the anniversary from 11 am to 2 pm on Thursday, April 5, at Tla’amin Governance House, 4779 Klahanie Road. The celebration will include a number of cultural experiences, including language displays.