BC Government Approved Lheidli T’enneh First Nation A.I.P

[http://www.gov.bc.ca/tno]

June 25, 2003

Treaty Negotiations Office

B.C. APPROVES AGREEMENT-IN-PRINCIPLE WITH FIRST NATION

VICTORIA – Government approved an Agreement-in-Principle, or AIP, with the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation at today’s open cabinet meeting. The AIP will form the basis of a final treaty with the Prince George-area First Nation and marks the first AIP that has been approved since the government took office.

“The government is committed to negotiating workable, affordable treaty settlements that will provide certainty, finality and equality,” said Geoff Plant, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations. “Approving this AIP is a significant achievement in the treaty process with the Lheidli T’enneh and advances our New Era commitment to fast-track treaty talks and conclude fair treaty settlements. This agreement upholds the eight publicly endorsed guiding principles that British Columbians want and expect modern-day treaties to represent.”

The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, which entered the treaty process in 1993, is a group of 304 Carrier peoples whose community is in Shelley, north of Prince George. They have been negotiating an AIP since 1996.

“This agreement is evidence that the B.C. treaty process is working to advance negotiations and create opportunities for treaty settlements,” said Chief Barry Seymour of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation. “I am pleased the B.C. government has approved this agreement. We look forward to moving into negotiations toward the timely completion of a final agreement.”

The Lheidli T’enneh Community Treaty Council, which is made up of representatives from the Lheidli T’enneh community, voted in favour of the AIP last month and recommended that the First Nation chief and council approve it. Accordingly, the chief and council have passed a resolution approving the AIP, which completes the First Nation’s approval process.

An AIP is the fourth step in a six-step treaty negotiations process set out by the B.C. Treaty Commission. AIPs are not final agreements and are not legally binding. They set the foundation for negotiations toward final agreement, with provisions on land, capital transfer, resource management, culture and governance. All parties have expressed the desire to move quickly towards final agreement.

Three other Agreements-in-Principle with First Nations have been initialed and are in the ratification process: Snuneymuxw in the Nanaimo area, Maa-nulth on central Vancouver Island and Sliammon on the Sunshine Coast.

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For more information, visit:

http://www.gov.bc.ca/tno/negotiation/Fi ... Tenneh.htm

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First Agreement in Principle Signed in BC Treaty Process

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