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Yale and Stó:lō Nations negotiating river access as treaty moves forward

While the British Columbia government is moving to ratify a treaty with the Yale First Nation, that nation is still discussing with the neighbouring Stó:lō Nation how the treaty will affect them.

"We actually have a meeting on Friday, after two days, with the Stó:lō people to talk about how they will get access across our land to the river," said Yale Chief Robert Hope. "We hope the discussions go well."

He acknowledged that Stó:lō leaders are unhappy with the situation. "We hope to work through that process and that can only be done by talking," he said.

Stó:lō Nation President Joe Hall could not be reached by posting time.

The legislation necessary for the province to ratify the treaty was introduced in the legislature today. Once that bill passes, it will be up to the federal government to pass similar legislation to make the treaty official.

Sophie Pierre, the chief commissioner of the B.C. Treaty Commission mentioned the disagreement in passing during the Yale event at the legislature. "As you turn your attention toward the implementation of your treaty, there's still a real important task that you have, and that is to work out your path with your neighbours," she said.

"You certainly have from the Stó:lō concern around access to their traditional fishing grounds," said Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Minister Mary Polak. "In the Yale treaty those are actually assured. The concerns that they have are ones we're confident we can address."

The Yale and Stó:lō Nations' traditional territories do include some of the same lands, she said. "The lands that overlap are not those lands that are the treaty settlement lands," she said. "When it comes to the access that the Stó:lō would have, and that's their primary concern, that's actually guaranteed in the treaty."

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.


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