In any long struggle, it’s good to take a step back and celebrate achievements. Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation community members who attended the initialling ceremony of the final agreement with Canada and BC did just that.
It was an emotional day, a milestone in a journey toward self-government and away from the effects of colonization. Mostly, it was a happy day, with many smiles and tears of joy. Occasionally, tears of sadness were shed as the gathering remembered community members who had died since the treaty process began in 1994.
A whole generation has grown up in those years and many children have been born. It’s remarkable that over 50 per cent of Tla’Amin’s membership is under the age of 25, just the opposite of Powell River’s aging demographics.
The final agreement, which will lead to a treaty if ratified by a majority of the membership, is about that generation and those to come. It gives Tla’Amin the tools to shape its own future and destiny.
To some, that is a scary prospect. As Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Kim Baird said, a treaty is a journey away from the cold, hard comfort of the Indian Act, but to some it’s a comfort nonetheless, as it is all first nations have known and, sadly, something some people can’t envision a future without.
The next 30 weeks will be a challenging time for Tla’Amin band members, as they go through the hard work of becoming informed about the provisions in the final agreement and deciding if it is time leave the limitations of the Indian Act in the past and move forward into self-government.
The relationship between Tla’Amin and the City of Powell River is particularly strong and has been held up as an example for other communities to emulate. The Community Accord and the Protocol Agreement on Culture, Heritage and Economic Development are leading the way not only in British Columbia, but in Canada. Sophie Pierre, chief commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission, told the gathering that for people who are smart enough to make their home where first nations have lived for thousands of years, it becomes a part of them too.
If the final agreement is ratified, Tla’Amin will have over 8,000 hectares of land in the Powell River area that it will own in fee simple, including 70 kilometres of waterfront land. That will launch a new relationship with Tla’Amin’s neighbours, both residents and local governments. The initialling ceremony paved the way for that new relationship, with respect, inclusion and recognition of all the hard work it took to get to that point. It was a positive step in a long journey.
