With the province and Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation ready for over a year to initial an agreement reached with the inclusion of the federal government’s chief negotiator, it seems puzzling what the delay on the part of the feds could possibly be.
Tla’Amin chief negotiator Roy Francis has pointed out that other first nations communities, such as Tsawwassen, Maa-Nulth and Yale, had their agreements finalized in as little as eight weeks. What possible reason is there for the year-long delay in Tla’Amin’s treaty process?
The answer is that nobody knows, or at least nobody is saying. The federal government is only saying that the treaty is “being reviewed.” Why this is taking so long, what exactly they are reviewing and when this process will be finished is anybody’s guess.
Federal minister of aboriginal affairs and northern development John Duncan isn’t saying why. West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country MP John Weston isn’t saying why, if he in fact knows. During a visit to Tla’Amin this week provincial minister of aboriginal relations and reconciliation Mary Polak couldn’t understand the cause of the delay either and expressed concern and recognized the frustration.
Nobody in the Tla’Amin community can figure out why the process is taking so long and for them time is of the essence. There are enough questions surrounding the treaty process in the community without the federal government’s unexplained delay further complicating matters. The community needs to have the opportunity to decide for itself whether or not this treaty is the right move, without the actions, or inaction, of a third party influencing the decision.
Francis has said that the move to take legal action against the federal government is the first in a few moves they have in mind. The fact that Tla’Amin negotiators are taking action and not sitting waiting for the word of the federal government shows just how important this treaty is to them.
We may not know the reason for the delay but given what is at stake and the importance of this treaty to an entire community let’s hope it’s over soon.
