NB-1 Received DC Office January 18, 2020 From: Bryan Evans Sent: Friday, January 17, 2020 11:51 AM To: Chief Marvin Yahey; Trevor Makadahay; Lori Ackerman; Rob Fraser; Chair Brad Sperling Cc: Chief Hunter; Dan Bernier; Shona Nelson; Merli de Guzman Subject: Updated TLE Letter attached - for review and signature Hello All, On behalf of Chief Yahey, attached please find a revised draft letter to the Province with respect to TLE lands. This version includes changes as discussed at the last Community Leaders Gathering on November 19 and updated timelines. We anticipated having the parties review and ideally sign this letter at the CLG meeting at Halfway River First Nation today. Given the postponement due to weather, we are hopeful that each of the Parties can review the letter and indicate your support by email. From discussion internally, Chief Yahey and Chief Makadahay have indicated that they are prepared to sign this letter on behalf of BRFN and DRFN. Our understanding is that while HRFN support resolution of TLE lands generally, they are not in a position to support this letter specifically, and will pursue their own opportunities to engage with BC to advance TLE to conclusion. We have therefore removed HRFN from the signature block. Could you please review the attached and indicate your support by providing either a digital signature or a scanned signature page. BRFN will offer to compile the signed version and forward to British Columbia on behalf of the parties, copying all of you. If further discussion is needed among the signatories, the matter can be postponed to the next CLG meeting. Best regards, Bryan Bryan Evans Principal, Dovetail Consulting Group PO Box 1867 Garibaldi Highlands, BC, V0N 1T0 604-356-1950 [email protected] www.dovetailconsulting.com January 23, 2020 NB-1 Friday, January 17th, 2020 Via e-mail The Honourable John Horgan, M.L.A. Premier of British Columbia West Annex Parliament Building Victoria, BC V8V I X4 The Honourable Scott Fraser, M.L.A. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation 612 View Street Victoria, BC V8W 1J5 The Honourable Doug Donaldson, M.L.A. Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Room 248 Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V I X4 The Honourable Michelle Mungall M.L.A. Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V I X4 Re: Community Leaders Group Support for Timely Resolution of TLE Claims We, the undersigned participants in the Community Leaders Group, have recently held meetings to discuss issues of mutual concern and to identify common interests within the Fort St. John region and Peace Treaty 8 territory. We view the Community Leaders Group as having the potential to become an important forum for sharing interests and creating dialogue regarding the amendments to the Fort St John Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) and other matters affecting our communities. Page 1 of 3 January 23, 2020 NB-1 At the recent meeting in Fort St. John on October 25, we collectively identified a priority need for the Province to take all necessary steps and move expediently to settle outstanding Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) claims prior to engaging in another British Columbia imposed process such as the Fort St. John LRMP update. The TLE claims involve historical entitlements to land that was promised, but not provided under Treaty 8 and has been an outstanding and unfulfilled treaty obligation since 1900. Canada, British Columbia and Treaty 8 First Nations have been in TLE claim negotiations for fifteen years. Canada provided a settlement Agreement in 2016 and since then, the First Nations have been forced to deal with unnecessary administrative and political delays by the Province of British Columbia which has caused them significant financial hardship and unnecessary administrative burdens. This failure by British Columbia has impeded much needed economic investment into the local northeast economy which all residents and stakeholders would benefit from. The First Nations in the TLE process need certainty on their respective land selections and all of our communities need resolution of this issue to move forward collectively in a process of recognition and reconciliation. Timely settlement of the TLE claims would also align with the Province's stated commitments to reconciliation and the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of indigenous People (UNDRIP), as well as with this Provincial government’s recent introduction of Bill 41 in the Legislature, which is aimed at the meaningful implementation of UNDRIP. To this end we call upon the Province to make TLE settlement an urgent and top priority and to commit all necessary human and financial resources to the resolution of these claims as soon as possible. This includes: 1. Active oversight and direction by the most senior levels of the Provincial government to ensure TLE matters are resolved as an urgent priority; 2. Providing additional financial resources to the Treaty 8 First Nations to complete the First Nations/BC/Canada TLE Land Agreements due to the drawn out TLE process; 3. Resolving interim and long-term protection measures for TLE parcels by February 29 2020 for all First Nations concerned; 4. Conclusion of ongoing stakeholder engagement processes by February 14, 2020; and 5. Conclusion of any other internal Provincial land review processes on an immediate basis. We, the undersigned Community Leaders, are committed to doing everything within our power to resolve the TLE claims. We call upon the Province to do the same. Settling the Treaty Land Entitlements is in all of our interests. In addition to delivering justice to the claimant First Nations, settlement of these claims would result in important benefits for the entire Peace region. Page 2 of 3 January 23, 2020 NB-1 Lastly, the TLE settlements would create significant economic benefits, enhance the certainty of future land use for all of our communities, and finally set the stage for us to embark on a collective effort to update the Fort St. John Land and Resource Management Plan. Yours Truly, Chief Marvin Yahey Blueberry River First Nations Chief Trevor Makadahay Doig River First Nation Mayor Rob Fraser District of Taylor, BC Brad Sperling, Area C Director Peace River Regional District Mayor Lori Ackerman City of Fort St. John, BC Cc: Mr. Doug Caul, Deputy Minister, MIRR Mr. John Allen, Deputy Minister, MFLNRORD Mr. Dave Nikolejsin, Deputy Minister, MEMPR Ms. Trish Balcean, Assistant Deputy Minister, MIRR Mr. Simon Coley, Assistant Deputy Minister, MEMPR Mr. Eamon O'Donoghue, Assistant Deputy Minister, MFLNRORD Ms. Karilyn Vince, Regional Executive Director, Northeast Natural Resource Region, MFLNRORD (FSJ) Mr. James Cuell, Director Strategic Initiatives, Major Projects Unit, MFLNRORD (PG) Page 3 of 3 January 23, 2020.