Treaty negotiations could see transfer of two B.C. parks to Vancouver Island First Nations
A pair of provincial parks are being considered in the B.C. government's treaty negotiations with the T’Sou-ke and Songhees nations on Vancouver Island.
The T’Sou-ke First Nation could see the return of Sooke Mountain Provincial Park as part of their traditional lands while the Songhees First Nation could once again manage the lands making up Discovery Island Marine Park, which sits off Oak Bay, B.C.
"We need our space," said Chief Gordon Planes of the T'Sou-ke Nation on Wednesday.
"How can we be T’Sou-ke without that space to practise who we are as T’Sou-ke people?" he said. "Our territory is who we are."
In a release, Songhees Nation chief Ron Sam said Discovery Island is one of the last areas of the nation's original territory that has remained untouched over the past 200 years.
"Many of our nation's generations have lived on this sacred island, and its rich surroundings reflect our peoples' relationship to the land and water," he said.
As part of the deal, the nations have agreed to maintain public access and continue recreational use in the parks.
"Before contact, our people co-existed with Mother Nature by following the footsteps of our ancestors in enhancing our territory, this insured a good life for our future generations," said Planes.
"From the first contact, we all took too much too fast, and now is the time to reverse that," he said. "Let's work together to enhance our watersheds and food forest. We owe it to our children and our children who are not born yet, they are our most valued currency."
B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said the two provincial parks in question hold cultural significance to the T'Sou-ke and Songhees First Nations.
"These treaty negotiations recognize the cultural and social significance of these lands to Te'mexw Member Nations, and set us on a clear path to reconciliation while also continuing to uphold the ecological and conservation values of these special places, as well as continued recreational access for the general public," he said.
TREATY NEGOTIATIONS
The T’Sou-ke, Songhees, Malahat, Beecher (SC'IA⁄NEW)and Snaw-Naw-As nations are all part of the Te’mexw Treaty Association (TTA), which began negotiations with the provincial and federal governments in 1995.
The five First Nations of the TTA are negotiating together, but the negotiations will result in five separate treaties.
"These treaties are intended to recognize the pre-existing rights and title of the five Te'mexw Member Nations and provide the basis for a revitalized relationship between Canada, B.C. and these First Nations," said Murray Rankin, B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, in a statement.
"Treaties help everyone in B.C. by providing better clarity for First Nations and surrounding communities and will result in better social and economic opportunities for all communities in southern Vancouver Island," he said.
The completion of the treaties are expected in the next few years.
The public is invited to a series of open houses that will take place from late February until April to learn more about the proposed treaties with the TTA nations.
The open house dates can be found below:
- Saturday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., Songhees Wellness Centre, 1100 Admirals Rd., Victoria
- Thursday, March 2, 4:30-7 p.m., Edward Milne Community school, 6218 Sooke Rd., Sooke
- Saturday, March 4, 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., Quarterdeck, Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Rd., Colwood
- Monday, March 6, 4:30-7 p.m., Nanoose Bay Community Centre, 2925 NW Bay Rd., Nanoose Bay
- Tuesday, March 7, 4:30-7 p.m., George Jay Elementary, 1118 Princess Ave., Victoria
- Saturday, March 11, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., Shawnigan Lake Community Hall, 2804 Shawnigan Lake Rd., Shawnigan Lake
- Wednesday, March 15, 4:30-7 p.m., Metchosin Community Hall, 4401 William Head Rd., Victoria
Virtual Open Houses (pre-registration required)
- Wednesday, April 5, 2:30-4 p.m.
- Thursday, April 13, 6-7:30 p.m.
More information on the treaty process can be found on the Province of B.C. website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.