City of Powell River council has approved Mayor Stewart Alsgard co-signing a letter about Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation’s treaty. Roy Francis, Tla’Amin’s chief negotiator, will be the other signatory. The letter, to Conservative MP John Weston, who represents West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, requests his assistance to urge the federal government to initial an agreement reached by Canadian, provincial and Tla’Amin negotiators last summer.
A majority of councillors supported the motion, which was passed at a special council meeting held recently. Councillors Debbie Dee and Maggie Hathaway, who were away but dialed into the meeting through a teleconference call, opposed the motion.
Dee said she thought sending the letter was premature, since Prime Minister Stephen Harper had not named his cabinet after winning a majority in the May 2 federal election. Harper named his cabinet on May 18.
Dee also said she thought it would be better to meet with Weston first, “to find out where he is now since the re-election.” She was also uncomfortable approving a letter she hadn’t read.
Hathaway pointed out that when the city met with Weston before the election, he committed to work toward approval. “We’ve just come through an election, everyone is getting themselves settled into place,” she said. “I think we can at least have the courtesy to give them the opportunity to settle in.”
Alsgard reported at the May 19 council meeting that the letter had been sent on May 12 and all members of council were made aware of its contents. Alsgard also said he had a positive telephone conversation with Weston the day the letter was sent.
John Duncan has been re-appointed as the minister for what is now called aboriginal affairs and northern development. Alsgard said Weston indicated he and Duncan “want to get right on and address this matter. I have relayed those comments to Mr. Francis, who received a telephone call from the member of Parliament, showing the whole matter of the letter and getting it going is in fact before them,” Alsgard said.
The letter to Weston was positive, Alsgard said. “It is not one that is suggesting anything other than there is a solution to this and would both the member of Parliament and minister of aboriginal affairs and northern development please get on with the task of seeing how this can be more successfully progressed,” he said.
On Wednesday, May 18, the Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act was introduced and read a first time at the BC legislature. The BC Treaty Commission has said quick passage of the final agreement by Parliament would be an important signal that the federal government remains committed to treaty making. “The Government of Canada has shown that when all parties agree the process of ratifying a treaty can move very quickly,” said Chief Commissioner Sophie Pierre in a statement. “We have also seen where inaction by the government has led to questions about its commitment.”
Specifically, the treaty commission has repeatedly urged the federal government to initial the final agreement with Tla’Amin so its members can vote, the commission’s statement pointed out. “Sliammon and the BC government were prepared to initial the final agreement in June 2010, but after 11 months there is still no response from the federal government.”
