Backgrounder - Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement

On October 15, 2007, the British Columbia government introduced legislation to ratify the draft Final Agreement with Tsawwassen First Nation.

The Final Agreement will bring certainty with respect to all of Tsawwassen First Nation’s Aboriginal rights throughout the Tsawwassen First Nation claimed traditional territory, which covers approximately 279,403 hectares (land and water) or 158,387 hectares (land only).

It will provide Tsawwassen First Nation with the modern governance tools to regain its vitality and to build strong and workable relationships with other governments, including federal, provincial, regional and local governments in the Lower Mainland.

The Tsawwassen Final Agreement includes land and cash components; the costs will be shared by the provincial and federal governments. The Final Agreement includes self-government provisions and defines Tsawwassen First Nation’s rights to resources such as land and fish.

The treaty will bring certainty and economic benefits not only to Tsawwassen First Nation members, but also to all of British Columbia and Canada.

On December 8, 2006, the Honourable Jim Prentice, former Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Honourable Premier Gordon Campbell joined Tsawwassen Chief Kim Baird at the Tsawwassen Long House to witness the initialling of the Final Agreement.

Tsawwassen First Nation members then made history on July 25, 2007, when they became the first to ratify – by a vote of 130 to 50 – a Final Agreement negotiated under the British Columbia treaty process.

Today’s introduction of provincial legislation marks the second stage of the three-stage ratification process. Following the passage of this legislation, the Final Agreement will be presented to the Canadian Parliament for federal approval before it can be brought into effect.

By agreement of Canada, British Columbia and Tsawwassen First Nation, a date will then be set on which the treaty will take effect. The treaty will then be a constitutionally-protected legal agreement creating mutually binding obligations and commitments.