Good afternoon. Before we jump into my case study, we pause for a short commercial message. My name is David Carson. TECO is an international environmental management consulting Please pardon the corny use of alliteration in my title. I firm dedicated to balancing the social, economic, and promise never to do it again. environmental outcomes of your project. I would like to thank the forum organizers for their invitation Over 40 years as Timberline Natural Resource Group we came to be the Canadian leader in forestry and related natural resource to speak. consulting. I wish to acknowledge the First Peoples - the Métis and the TECO now offers best-in class services in the following practice Nations of Treaty 6 who have shared this land and are our areas: hosts. • Carbon; • Community; I wish to recognize the Chiefs and Elders who are present • Ecology; today. • Energy; • Forest; Finally, I offer particular thanks to the people of In-SHUCK-ch • Land; and for their confidence in TECO over the years. • Technology. 1 2 The goal of my presentation is to illustrate how the In-SHUCK-ch people have been creating and utilizing opportunities to advance their Nation. It is an intriguing story and a work in progress. 3 4 This paper was originally presented on January 24 th , 2008 at In-SHUCK-ch Nation has been advancing by taking multiple the Aboriginal Forestry 2008 conference held in Vancouver by approaches. the Pacific Business and Law Institute. After introducing the In-SHUCK-ch people, we will describe those My co-presenter was Shawn Gabriel of In-SHUCK-ch. I give approaches and the progress that has been made. While we will my thanks to Shawn. address all major initiatives, given the nature of this conference our focus will be on land and resource stewardship. I have updated the material to reflect the changes made over the past two years. 5 6 The Lillooet people lived around and downstream from Green When the ground was dry Ntci’nemkin made the young people Lake. A great flood came and the people were afraid. Ntci’nemkin marry each other and he sent them out to all the good food had a large canoe in which he took his family, and one child, males places. Their descendents are the Lillooet people. and females, from each family. The water continued to rise and all the land was submerged except nsékets (In-SHUCK-ch Mountain). 7 8 Situated in south coastal British Columbia, the traditional territory It is a beautiful land. This is the north end of Harrison Lake. of the In-SHUCK-ch Nation is defined by the height of land around the watersheds of the Lower Lillooet, Stave, and Pitt Rivers. The territory stretches south from approximately the midpoint of Lillooet Lake to Long Island in Harrison Lake. The territory is accessible by logging road only. The road from the north is rough but passable. The road from the south is very rough and is avoided by most. This past winter a hillside failed and the road is now closed. There are six inhabited communities embedded within the mountainous and forested landscape of the territory. The communities of In-SHUCK-ch are surrounded by the land and resources which sustain them. 9 10 This is Lillooet Lake. It has a rich history, both pre-contact … This is a traditional fishing site. 11 12 This is the interior of the traditional Ishkin or pit house … and in the colonial period. This is a view of a portion of the Gold Rush Trail which runs through the territory, and the Church of the Holy Cross at Skatin. 13 14 However, despite its proximity to the major metropolitan area of Over the last 20 years In-SHUCK-ch Nation has made enormous B.C., the territory is remote. strides in nation building. The approach has been to take direction from the people, declare it to be real, and make it The road is poor and there is repeated flooding and occasional happen. land slides. THIS IS THE POTHOLES PART. By walking and talking like a Nation, In-SHUCK-ch has forced others to take notice. The communities are not on the BC power grid but work is In May of 2005 In-SHUCK-ch Nation was formally declared a underway to change that. sovereign nation by resolution of the people. Nor do they have standard telephone service. Lack of infrastructure is a serious barrier to advancement. Poverty is an issue, but the people are resilient. 15 16 Also mandated by resolution, the In-SHUCK-ch Nation Interim THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS ANOTHER OF THE POTHOLES. Government is composed of the elected Chiefs and Council of the Douglas First Nation and the Samahquam Nation and the Douglas First Nation has voted to remove themselves from the traditional Chief and Council of Skatin First Nations. treaty process. However Samahquam and Skatin have made clear The interim government was given a broad mandate to define, their intention to proceed and they keep the third seat open. exercise, and protect the Nation’s title and rights and to implement the nation using the Seven Generations Plan . The three member communities have been writing constitutions. An In-SHUCK-ch constitution will be prepared when all three communities are finished 17 18 In-SHUCK-ch Nation recognizes that progress will require healthy Many people and organizations contribute to achieving the individuals, healthy families and healthy communities. following goals for In-SHUCK-ch communities: •Healing; •A modern standard of living; •A strong cultural identity; •Renewed connection to the land; and •A bright future. 19 20 Building strong communities: • New school in Skatin As business people we must never forget that our initiatives • Sylvia Shanoss formerly a wellness worker from Lower depend on the results of these programmes and we must support Sta'atl'imx Tribal Council them when we can. • Vern Shanoss who so eloquently describes the concept of wellness in the individual first, the family second, and the For example sponsorship of cultural events. community third. 21 22 THIS IS THE PATIENCE PART. The Provincial and Federal governments and the First Nations Summit created the British Columbia Treaty Commission in 1992 to Despite all of the progress of human kind over the last hundred oversee the management of modern day treaties in this province. years, aboriginal communities in Canada have benefited little. In-SHUCK-ch saw this as a very tangible opportunity. Rather than You know the issues, dependency, poverty, culture, education, continuing to wait and hope that conditions will change, this process housing, suicide, abuse, mortality. allows them to take an active role in determining their future. Patience is running out. Successful treaty negotiations will legislate the ability to govern themselves, to make their own laws concerning their community, to be entrepreneurs and participate in the Canadian economy, to raise their children to be proud of their lineage, and to use and protect their traditional territory and its resources in ways that are appropriate to them. 23 24 Profile building is an important element of Nation building. In-SHUCK-ch’s Statement of Intent was the first to be received by Chief Commissioner Chuck Connaghan when the Commission opened its doors In-SHUCK-ch was well represented at the Association of B.C. on December 15th of 1993. Forest Professionals annual meeting in Harrison Hot Springs in 2007 and in Penticton in 2008. In-SHUCK-ch Nation is currently negotiating with Canada and British Columbia in stage five (negotiation of a final agreement) of the six stage BC Treaty Commission process. Governance of the In-SHUCK-ch Nation will be focused on fostering and develop-ing wholesome and healthy communities. A government model is being prepared, without reference to treaty or the Indian Act , which will outline the establishment of a three branch government including Legislative (law making), Executive (administration), and Judicial Branches. This format, by design and intent, will provide direct accountability to the citizens. 25 26 NOW WE COME TO THE PLANNING PART. In-SHUCK-ch Nation has prepared a Seven Generations Plan through which the In-SHUCK-ch people have directed their Planning, as part of a full title and rights program, ensures that leadership to implement the Nation. The basic purpose of the the Nation arrives at the negotiation table with a strong vision plan is to protect the integrity of the In-SHUCK-ch people as a for the landscape. sovereign nation. The plan states who the In-SHUCK-ch people are, what is important to us, and where we want to go as a Nation. It encompasses governance, social wellbeing, and wealth creation. 27 28 The plan is based on a circular world view, where the ancestors, TECO’s central contribution to In-SHUCK-ch Nation is the Land those living today, and those yet unborn are all tied together, and Stewardship Plan . More than a forestry plan, it is a land use plan, where we share the earth with all other living things, and non- a resource management plan, and an economic development living things. plan. This world view says that those living now have a duty to protect The Land Stewardship Plan proclaims the intentions of In-SHUCK- the values from the past, in planning for the future in a modern ch with regard to protecting the environment, defending world. language, culture, and traditions, and the wise use of resources. In-SHUCK-ch people view the land and all that it contains as an organism. 29 30 Stewardship is based on the following principles: Stewardship may be defined as holistic care and wise and -In-SHUCK-ch, as Aboriginal people, must boldly take leadership in culturally sensitive use.