UPDATED Wednesday, March 9 – Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation is condemning Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government for inaction on its final treaty. City of Powell River council is supporting Tla’Amin’s call to the federal government to sign off on a draft final treaty agreement which federal, provincial and Tla’Amin chief negotiators reached 10 months ago.
At the end of January, Tla’Amin officials learned from John Weston, Conservative MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding, that he had concerns about provisions in the treaty that he thinks are unconstitutional.
“We are absolutely appalled and stunned that our own MP, John Weston, has not been a strong supporter for moving this matter forward,” said Tla’Amin Chief Clint Williams. “What makes this situation all the more infuriating is that Mr. Weston informed us in a meeting [eight] months after we concluded negotiations with Ottawa and Victoria that he believes that treaties are ‘unconstitutional.’ This assertion is baseless in fact and law and is deeply offensive coming from Mr. Weston. We are truly shocked and speechless.”
In the meeting, Weston expressed concern about provisions in the treaty where Tla’Amin laws prevail over federal and provincial laws, said Roy Francis, Tla’Amin’s chief negotiator. “He further explained that the constitution of Canada does not contemplate law making authorities for first nations’ governments,” said Francis. “I believe the concern he expresses completely undermines the notion of tripartite negotiations and I’m concerned that a very hard-fought and expensive negotiation is at risk of being lost. We need the government of Canada to honour its mandates, its place at the table, and to be true to its word.”
Weston told the Peak that the delays had nothing to do with him. “I have not been a source of delay on this,” he said. “However, I have pointed out a constitutional issue that should be well known to them and it’s an issue that should be of concern to people generally.”
For the Tsawwassen First Nation and Maa-nulth First Nations final treaties, both of which have been ratified, it took eight weeks for the federal government to sign off on the negotiators’ agreements.
“The federal government’s failure to sign off on a handshake deal, I assume at least until recently, could not have had anything to do with the MP because the MP wasn’t involved, except on the fisheries matter,” Weston said. “Only when we met two weeks ago now in the Prime Minister’s office was my concern about the constitutional issue even potentially a source of delay.”
At its March 3 meeting, City of Powell River council passed a motion to send a letter to Harper “strongly urging him to immediately proceed with initialing the treaty so that it may be expeditiously presented to the Sliammon First Nation for ratification.” Council passed another motion inviting Weston to a meeting to discuss the issue.
Mayor Stewart Alsgard joined Williams in expressing his frustration. “We are all terribly disappointed and frankly perplexed, at the unnecessary delay in proceeding with this treaty,” Alsgard said. “The Sliammon people are our friends, neighbours and partners. We have worked hard to nurture this relationship, which is so critical to the economic development and future prosperity of our region.”
Dan Veniez, Liberal Party candidate in the riding, has arranged for Williams, Francis and Alsgard to meet with Michael Ignatieff, Liberal Party leader, in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 9. The Sliammon Treaty Society is paying for the trip.
