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Vancouver, B.C., 15 February 1996 - Negotiators for the Nisga'a Tribal Council, Canada, and British Columbia announced today they have reached an agreement-in-principle on B.C.'s first modern-day treaty.
The Agreement-in-Principle (AIP), once ratified by all three political parties, will form the basis for negotiations of a final agreement and implementation of the treaty. The AIP contains provisions on fisheries, lands and resources, access to lands, environmental assessment and protection, Nisga'a government, taxation, financial transfers and cultural artifacts.
In essence, the AIP calls for a cash payment to the Nisga'a of $190 million and the establishment of a Nisga'a Central Government with ownership of and self-government over 1,900 square kilometres of land in the Nass River Valley. It also outlines the Nisga'a ownership of surface and subsurface resources on Nisga'a lands and spells out entitlements to Nass River salmon stocks and wildlife harvests.
"Today we make history," said Ronald A. Irwin, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. "This Agreement-in-Principle forms the fundamental basis on which Canada, B.C. and the Nisga'a people are forging a new relationship based on partnership and mutual respect. It will also be a major catalyst for improving the social and economic well-being of the Nisga'a people and achieving the certainty non-Aboriginal land and resource users need."
Chief Joe Gosnell Sr., President of the Nisga'a Tribal Council, spoke of the work that has gone into negotiating the AIP. "This represents a hard-fought compromise that has seen a generation of Nisga'a growing old at the negotiating table, but we are making that compromise in order to become full and active participants in the social, political and economic life of this country."
Speaking on behalf of the Government of British Columbia, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Cashore commended provincial negotiators for protecting the interests of all British Columbians. "I believe this is a landmark step towards a fair and honourable resolution," said Cashore. "I feel very comfortable taking this back to the public for discussion."
For more information contact:
Nelson Leeson/Tina Bolton
Nisga'a Tribal Council
P.O. Box 231, New Aiyansh, BC V0J 1A0 CANADA
tel: (604) 633-2601, fax: (604) 633-2367
http://www.newswire.ca/nisgaa
Peter Baird
Federal Treaty Negotiation Office
2700-650 West Georgia St.
PO Box 11576, Vancouver, BC V6B 4N8 CANADA
tel: (604) 775-8141; (800) 665-9320,
fax: (604) 775-7149
http://www.inac.gc.ca/news/aip.html
Peter Smith
Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
1st Floor--908 Pandora Street
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4 CANADA
tel: (604) 356-8750; (800) 880-1022, fax: (604) 387-1785
http://www.aaf.gov.bc.ca/aaf/
Fourth World Bulletin • Spring/Summer 1996
Copyright © 1996 by the Fourth World Center
Created by Aigis Communications, Ltd