Message from the Minister and
Accountability Statement

It is my pleasure to deliver the second stand-alone Service Plan for the Treaty Negotiations Office. This Service Plan provides me with the opportunity to outline the actions that the Office will be taking during the next fiscal year to achieve the goals of building respectful, working relations with First Nations in British Columbia.

After more than a decade of treaty negotiations, we are making progress. Working jointly with our Federal and First Nations partners, we have reinvigorated the treaty process in British Columbia. While we recognize that it will be some time before treaties are in place across the entire province, we are working hard to achieve greater certainty over land and resources in our province. With this certainty we can better attract and retain investment, create jobs and build stronger communities for First Nations which will benefit all British Columbians. I believe that with our continued commitment, creativity and flexibility, we will continue to build on the momentum that has been achieved over the past year.

The 2005/06–2007/08 Treaty Negotiations Office Service Plan was prepared under my direction and in accordance with the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act. I am accountable for the basis on which the Plan has been prepared. All material, fiscal assumptions and policy decisions, as of February 3, 2005, have been considered in preparing the Plan and I am accountable for achieving the specific objectives in the Plan.

Honourable Geoff Plant
Attorney General and
Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations

February 7, 2005