As Canada prepares to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, true reconciliation in action is happening in northern BC with the Kitselas First Nation’s Treaty.
Right now, Kitselas is preparing to vote on the final draft of the treaty in April 2025. If approved by Kitselas Members, the treaty will remove Kitselas First Nation from under the Indian Act – arguably one of the most oppressive laws in Canada’s history. This is the first modern treaty to be signed in over a decade and has taken over 30 years of negotiation to reach this critical point.
“Our aim through treaty ratification is to end the legacy of colonialism and have Kitselas’
Aboriginal Rights and Title fully recognized,” said Chief Glenn Bennett, Kitselas First Nation, in a news release. “Treaty will help revitalize our culture, unlock economic opportunities, and close socio-economic gaps faced by generations of our people. By fostering the co-existence of Crown and First Nations governments, the Treaty will ensure shared prosperity and build constitutionally entrenched, nation-to-nation, government-to-government relationships.”
If successfully ratified by all parties, the Kitselas Treaty will constitutionally recognize Kitselas First Nation’s Treaty rights to governance, harvesting, land ownership, resource management, and other rights and benefits.
“Modern treaties are fundamentally reshaping Canada for the better because modern treaties and self-government agreements are actually working,” said Dr. David Try, Ph. D, Senior Treaty Negotiator / Director Treaty. “A Kitselas treaty sets the groundwork to rebuild our communities based on our values and terms, rather than living under the Indian Act – a broken, unequal, and oppressive law from a long-dead past. Becoming a self-governing Nation based on our traditions, culture, and values, and with transparency and accountability to Kitselas Citizens is our ultimate goal.”
The Kitselas treaty team is currently touring northeast B.C. and Alberta, meeting with members as well as non-members who may also be eligible to enroll. Other B.C. tours are planned for this fall. These meetings focus on informing Members on the Treaty’s positive impact(s) and encouraging enrolment leading up to the planned April 2025 vote.
This vote is crucial and marks a significant milestone as, alongside Kitsumkalum First Nation and K’omoks First Nation, these are the first treaties to reach this final stage in the treaty process in more than a decade.
Quick Facts:
● In June 2024 the Kitselas Treaty was initialled.
● Kitselas’ Traditional Territory stretches from the Pacific Ocean on British Columbia’s North Coast, about 200 kilometres inland, to the Skeena River Valley., a total of approximately two million acres
● Since the early 1990s, Kitselas has been involved in treaty negotiations with the
Governments Canada and British Columbia. These negotiations are now in the final stage
of the BC Treaty Commission Treaty Process.