The Nisga'a response to the developments of the week came through a Friday afternoon information release, which took note of the public campaign that was launched on Friday related to the issue and traced some of the political conversation with the provincial government of the last three years.
In February 2016, Nisga’a Lisims Government and the Government of British Columbia concluded commercial terms for the Nisga’a Nation to purchase the lands and lease the foreshore and submerged lands under Crown land policy and at fair market value.
The area covered by the transaction has been part of the exclusive territory of the Nisga’a Nation since time immemorial, and is already included in areas where the Nisga’a Nation has constitutionally protected rights and co-management responsibilities under BC’s first modern treaty, the Nisga’a Final Agreement or Nisga’a Treaty.
The goal of the transaction is to allow the Nisga’a Nation to pursue economic development activities in its treaty areas in a way that benefits Nisga’a citizens and all British Columbians. Nisga’a Lisims Government has been working with the Government of British Columbia to achieve this goal, which is an objective of the Nisga’a Treaty.
The lands to be purchased are also contiguous with Nisga’a Lands which are wholly owned by the Nisga’a Nation and, under the Nisga’a Treaty and the transaction terms, will be added to those lands.
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| Included in the first public statement from the Nisga'a Lisims Government on the Nasoga Gulf dispute was Nisga'a map of the area of discussion |
The Nisga'a Lisims government also took issue with a jointly signed article in the Vancouver Province, which saw both Metlakatla Chief Councillor Harold Leighton and Lax Kw'alaasm Mayor John Helin highlight their opposition to the handling of the file by the current NDP government in Victoria.
In their Friday statement, the Nisga'a called that article an attack on the NDP that was unfair and unjustified, noting that the provincial government has been consulting with both Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams for over three years and is still engaged in the process of consultation.
Eva Clayton, the President of the Nisga'a Lisims Government also made note of the past efforts of the Nisga'a to meet with the Coastal First Nations on the issue.
“Over the last three years, Nisga’a Lisims Government has made repeated attempts to meet with our neighbours, Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla, and discuss this land purchase, but our efforts were rebuffed.
Essentially, we are purchasing our own land at fair market value—lands that are already included in our Treaty areas—so that we can pursue economic development to benefit the Nisga’a Nation and all British Columbians.”
Ms. Clayton also observed how the Nisga'a had recently proposed a June 11th meeting to discuss the transaction, only to learn that the Lax Kw'alaams Band and Metlakatla First Nation had started to organize community opposition events.
“It is unclear why Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla have waited until now—many years after being advised of and consulted on the transaction, and just before our proposed meeting date—to take this position,”
The statement closes with an observation from the Nisga'a Lisims Government President that both Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams have general elections scheduled for this fall.
The Nisga'a viewpoint included a Nisga'a timeline on the land in question, which states their claim to the area in question with the opening sentence.
Time immemorial - The transaction area is part of the exclusive territory of the Nisga'a Nation
As we outlined earlier this past week, the Nasoga Gulf issue became public following a Community meeting hosted by Lax Kw'alaams.
To follow some of the background to the events of the last week since that meeting, we've created a Nasoga Gulf archive for further review, you can examine it here.
To view the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.
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