Minister's Special Representative to the BC Treaty Process

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Minister Duncan Announces Appointment of a Minister's Special Representative to the BC Treaty Process

OTTAWA, ONTARIO

Jan. 28, 2011

The Honourable John Duncan, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, announced today the appointment of James Lornie as the Minister's Special Representative to the BC Treaty Process.

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of James Lornie as my Special Representative," said Minister Duncan. "Mr. Lornie brings many years of experience in facilitation and mediation, as well as extensive experience working with Aboriginal issues in BC, to the role."

As the Minister's Special Representative Mr. Lornie will be responsible for assessing and reporting on the possibility of accelerating the conclusion of treaties with Common Table First Nations that are in the BC Treaty Process. Mr. Lornie will meet with Common Table First Nations that are in the treaty process as well as with officials within the federal Government, the BC Government, the First Nations Summit and the British Columbia Treaty Commission (BCTC).

The Government of Canada believes that negotiations under the BC treaty process are the best means of resolving outstanding rights and title issues and arriving at fair, affordable and honourable treaties that balance the interests of First Nations and all Canadians.

Biographical Note

James Lornie

James (Jim) Lornie is currently a land use and treaty consultant who has worked with municipalities, First Nations and in the private sector.

Mr. Lornie has extensive experience as a consultant, facilitator and mediator and has worked in this capacity for local governments, First Nations in British Columbia, and the Province of British Columbia. Mr. Lornie's experience involves facilitating the negotiation of service agreements, and assisting in the creation of an economic development commission.

For 17 years Mr. Lornie was a business partner in Walcan Seafood Ltd, processing, marketing and exporting salmon, herring, herring roe and farmed salmon. He is a former Mayor of the City of Campbell River, serving three terms, and, as the local government representative, sat at both the Homalco and the Southern Kwakiutl Treaty Negotiation Tables.

Mr. Lornie served as Co-Chair of the Central Region Board in Clayoquot Sound which was created through BC's first interim measures agreement between First Nations and the Province of British Columbia. The Board was made up of a First Nation Co-Chair and five First Nations representatives, one from each of the Clayoquot First Nations in addition to five provincial appointees.

He is also the former Chair of the Central Coast Land and Resource Management Plan Completion Process. This process accomplished a consensus agreement between numerous diverse parties. First Nations were actively involved in the process and ultimately signed off with the Province of B.C. The area involved in this process is better known as the Great Bear Rain Forest by the public.

Mr. Lornie has served on the Pacific Salmon Forum, the Pacific Regional Council to the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the Board of Governors of Simon Fraser University, and the B.C. Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. He is also a former Board member of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, B.C. Region.

He holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia.