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WESTBANK FIRST NATION AND CANADA SIGN HISTORIC SELF-GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT

WESTBANK, British Columbia (October 3, 2003) - Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation and the Honourable Robert D. Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, today signed a historic agreement under which the Westbank First Nation will exercise jurisdiction over areas such as land management, resources and language and culture.

The Westbank Self-Government Agreement removes the Westbank First Nation from many of the confines of the Indian Act. It provides Westbank with critical governance and land management powers needed for it to effectively manage community and economic development on its reserve lands.

"For decades we at Westbank First Nation have had to contend with all the restrictions and deficiencies of the archaic federal Indian Act," said Chief Robert Louie. "At long last we have been able to break that bond and have successfully negotiated the kind of government necessary for us to move forward and create opportunities for our membership."

"The Westbank Self-Government Agreement is a significant achievement for both our parties," said Robert D. Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. "For one, it will provide Westbank with the tools it needs to make decisions over its own affairs. Second, it demonstrates that the Government of Canada's approach to negotiating self-government in partnership with First Nations produces real and sustainable results."

Work on this historic agreement started 14 years ago. The Agreement was ratified by the community members of Westbank First Nation in a vote held May 22-24, 2003.

The Agreement is seen as another positive step in the relationship between Westbank and the more than 8,000 non-members and 100 businesses who lease land on its reserve. The Agreement includes provisions for non-Westbank members to provide input to the Westbank government on matters that directly affect them. Westbank has already demonstrated its commitment to this relationship by setting up an advisory council to represent non-members.

"Congratulations to the Westbank First Nation," said Kat Maurmann, Chair of the Westbank First Nation Advisory Council, which represents non-member residents on the reserve. "The Advisory Council believes this thriving community will be better served by the self-government agreement, and we are committed to building a stronger community through it."

Business interests in and around the Kelowna area will also benefit from the Agreement. By allowing the Westbank First Nation - and not the federal government - to make basic decisions, the Agreement will speed up administrative processes and help Westbank make an even greater contribution to the local area.

"We will be recognized as a First Nation government with decision-making powers equal to that of the federal and provincial governments," said Chief Louie. "We are ready and able to meet that challenge and to establish effective working relationships with the business community, third parties and other governments of this land."

"We're particularly pleased that the band is interested in business expansion," said Ray Manzer of the Kelowna and District Manufactured Homeowners Association, which represents approximately 3,000 owners of manufactured homes on the reserve. "I think the self-government agreement and the Westbank Council have changed the atmosphere here. It used to be a 'we-they' situation between non-natives and the band. Now, they take an interest in our concerns."

The Self-Government Agreement provides for a Westbank constitution, also ratified by members at the same time as the Agreement. The constitution sets out the government structure at Westbank and will ensure political and financial accountability of the Westbank Chief and Council to their members.

For more information, please contact:

Avril Archibald
Communications and Consultation Advisor
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
(604) 666-5232
(604) 317-8669 (cell)

Larry Derrickson
Councillor
Westbank First Nation
(250) 769-4999

Westbank First Nation Self-Government Agreement between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada and Westbank First Nation (HTML) (PDF)

Backgrounder - Westbank Self-Government Agreement

Frequently Asked Questions - Westbank Self-Government Agreement

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