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An Historic Day
Check against delivery Thank you, Minister DeJong. Good morning, elders, Chief Frederick, Premier Campbell, honoured guests. I am delighted to join you today on behalf of Prime Minister Harper and Canada's New Government. I would also like to thank Chief Frederick and the Lheidli T'enneh for welcoming me so graciously and generously to their traditional territory. I am delighted to see so many members of the Lheidli T'enneh community here to witness the initialing of the Lheidli T'enneh Final Agreement. I am truly honoured to join you on this important day. Two of my colleagues in the House of Commons are also here - Jay Hill and Dick Harris - and I would like to thank them for attending today's ceremony. Truly this is a great week for Canada and for Aboriginal peoples. In Nunavik, in Northern Quebec, the last major Inuit land claims agreement has been ratified. And here in British Columbia you are also proving the value of negotiating constructively, cooperatively, and in good faith. I believe it is important to recognize and congratulate the Lheidli T'enneh community - the Chief, the Council and in particular, the citizens - for showing leadership in welcoming change and new initiatives. Ten years ago you were among the first 14 communities to join the First Nations Land Management Framework Agreement. And today, you are again demonstrating the breadth of your vision for your community, as the Final Agreement we're about to initial represents the first settlement reached under the British Columbia treaty process. There can be no doubt that settled treaties benefit all Canadians - Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal alike. Treaties resolve questions of uncertainty with respect to ownership and use of land and resources and the application of laws. What's more, here in BC they provide the certainty BC needs, and help create a strong economic base for First Nations communities and their neighbours. When the BC treaty process was initiated, it was the subject of considerable criticism. Many people argued that it was too complex. It took too long. It didn't produce anything. I can understand this frustration. When most people think of governmental processes, they envision extensive periods of consultation and negotiation, long meetings, complex studies and lengthy reports. What we don't often appreciate fully are the results of the process-the achievements that come from patient negotiation, collaboration and compromise; the reconciliation that occurs when different sides meet on the basis of equality, trust and mutual respect; the landmark agreement that we are celebrating today. Indeed, today's ceremony signifies that the BC treaty process works. By fully engaging the provincial government in the negotiation process, we have ensured that the Final Agreement is fair, just and proper for the Lheidl T'enneh people, for the citizens of the Prince George region, and for the people of British Columbia. This is precisely what this process is designed to achieve. In the words of Miles Richardson, one of the people who developed the BC treaty process: "It is not meant to draw thick lines between neighbourhoods. It is not about excluding anyone. It is about bringing people together and figuring out how we are going to live together and share." These are wise words and I can assure everyone that the Prime Minister and I agree wholeheartedly with them. In the same spirit of openness, trust and friendship expressed by Miles Richardson, I would like to salute Premier Campbell for his commitment to the process, and thank representatives of the BC Treaty Commission for their efforts. I would also like to commend and thank the negotiating teams-led by Lheidli T'enneh Chief Negotiator Mark Stevenson, Chief Provincial Negotiator Trevor Proverbs, and Chief Federal Negotiator Tom Molloy. This is also a historic day for the Lheidl T'enneh people. The Final Agreement that we celebrate today is another step on the road to self-government for the community. Self-government is a relatively simple but enormously potent force. In the words of former U.S. president Franklin Roosevelt: "Self-government is a covenant among free men to respect the rights and liberties of their fellows." This covenant, openly arrived at by the Lheidl T'enneh and the governments of British Columbia and Canada, will enable the Lheidl T'enneh to assume greater control over issues affecting your people and lands; it will allow you to make choices about how to use your resources to deliver programs and services; it gives you the strength to protect and nourish your culture; it provides you with the legal authority to create business partnerships and build a self-reliant community that is better prepared to participate in the overall economic growth and development of Canada. In essence, self-government will enable this community to participate in framing a free and prosperous future, something all Canadians are entitled to. And I think it is important to note that self-government carries significant responsibilities for citizens as well as governing bodies. Not only are governments required to be accountable to their people, but citizens also have an obligation to get involved and to be part of the governing process. And so as you go through the ratification process, it will be important to make your voices heard. Many people in the Lheidl T'enneh community are responsible for helping their people reach this agreement and take another important step toward self-government. In particular, I would like to salute the Lheidli T'enneh Community Treaty Council, who were tirelessly dedicated throughout the process of reaching the Final Agreement. For the past several years, the Treaty Council met every Tuesday-often in this building-to review developments at the negotiation table. I have been inspired by your efforts and I trust that you will continue your vital work until a final treaty has been signed and adopted. This day is also historic because it represents what can be achieved through cooperation among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. Four years ago, Lheidli T'enneh, the City of Prince George and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George took the bold step of signing agreements on cooperation and communication. These agreements helped set a productive and collaborative tone for the negotiations that led to the Final Agreement. These preliminary accords also established the basis on which community leaders could develop language within the Final Agreement to regulate relationships between the local governments. For those of you who don't know, the City of Prince George, the Regional District of Fraser Fort George and the Lheidli T'enneh share a unique relationship. After a final treaty comes into place, Lheidli T'enneh will own and manage treaty settlement land within the limits of the City of Prince George. There are few examples in Canada of treaty lands in an urban setting. But here in Prince George, local governments have come together with the Lheidli T'enneh to make this situation work. The city, the regional district and Lheidli T'enneh are developing a plan that will set out how the three governments will work together to harmonize municipal functions, such as zoning, laws and taxation, and guide the seamless transition of this land from city-owned property to Lheidli T'enneh territory. In effect, the three communities are carrying out the advice of former Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Antonio Lamer. In ruling on a landmark case regarding the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en First Nations of British Columbia, Chief Justice Lamer succinctly summed up the reality for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians alike: "Let's face it," he wrote, "we're all here to stay." These are simple words with profound meaning. Like former Chief Justice Lamer, I readily concede that agreements cannot erase the errors and injustices of the past. Fair, just and honourable agreements, however, can ensure a brighter future for us all. I can assure everyone that Canada's New Government is trying to find ways to accelerate the resolution of land claims so that other First Nation communities in British Columbia can conclude final agreements of their own and celebrate historic days such as this one-a day on which the Lheidli T'enneh takes an important step toward self-government and assumes their rightful place in British Columbia and in Canada. Thank you.
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Revised:
2006-12-08
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