Our Sacred Strength TalkingCircles AmongAboriginalWomen >FacilitationGuide PastWhy are we negotiating treaties in British Columbia? BeforeCanadawasacountryBritainrecognizedthat aboriginalpeoplelivingherehadtitletoland:theRoyal Proclamationof1763declaredthatonlytheBritishCrown couldacquirelandfromFirstNations,andthatwas typicallydonethroughtreaties.InmostpartsofCanada, theBritishCrownestablishedtreatieswithFirstNations beforeConfederation.ThenewDominionofCanada continuedthispolicyofmakingtreatiesbeforethewest wasopenedforsettlement,butinBCthisprocesswas nevercompleted. WhenBCjoinedConfederationin1871,only14treaties onVancouverIslandhadbeensigned,andlandtitleto therestoftheprovincewasleftunresolved.Itwasn’tuntil 1970thatCanada’saboriginalpeopleswereabletopursue aboriginalrightsintheSupremeCourtofCanada.With theexceptionofTreaty8inthenortheasterncornerofthe provinceandnegotiationswiththeNisga’aNation,most FirstNationshadtowaituntil1993topursuetheir aboriginalrightsthroughamade-in-BCtreatyprocess. The BC Treaty Process ThecurrentBCtreatyprocessbeganin1990whenCanada, BritishColumbiaandFirstNationsestablishedtheBCClaims TaskForcetomakerecommendationsonthescopeoftreaty negotiations,theorganizationandprocessestobeused,interim measuresandpubliceducation.Initsreportthetaskforce made19recommendations,whichwereallacceptedbythe threeparties.(See Appendix I for the list of recommendations.) Subsequently,FirstNations,CanadaandBritishColumbia signedanagreementinSeptember1992toestablishtheBC TreatyCommission.TheBCTreatyCommissionAgreement issupportedbyfederalandprovinciallegislationandbya resolutionoftheFirstNationsSummit.InDecember1993 theTreatyCommissionbeganreceivingStatementsofIntent fromFirstNationswantingtonegotiateatreatywith CanadaandBritishColumbia. Thesix-stagetreatyprocessissetoutintheBCClaims TaskForceReportof1991andincorporatedinthetripartite BritishColumbiaTreatyCommissionAgreementof1992. TheprocessisvoluntaryandopentoallFirstNationsin BritishColumbia.AsofMarch2007,thereare58First NationsparticipatingintheBCtreatyprocess,representing approximatelytwo-thirdsofallaboriginalpeopleinBC. > The Treaty Commission The Treaty Commission is the independent and neutral body responsible for facilitating treaty negotiations among the governments of Canada, BC and First Nations in BC. The Treaty Commission is not an arm of any government – it is an independent body and does not negotiate treaties. That is done by the three parties at negotiating tables: First Nations and Canada and British Columbia. Women and Treaty AskeeperoftheBCtreatyprocess,theTreatyCommission observedtheunderrepresentationofaboriginalwomen atthetreatytable.InMarch1999,theTreatyCommission broughttogether11aboriginalwomenfromdifferent regionsoftheprovince–AlertBay,Cranbrook,North Vancouver,Terrace,Tsawwassen,Victoria,Waglisla, WilliamsLakeandWestbank–toidentifytheinformation needsofaboriginalwomenandappropriatedeliverysystems. Thefocusgroupincludedwomenofawiderangeofages frombothurbanandruralareaswithbothprofessional andnon-professionalbackgrounds. Thewomenidentifiedtwooverridingcommunication challenges:accesstoinformationandlackofinterestinthe treatyprocess.Womenexpressedconcernthattreatymaking isamale-dominatedprocess,andassuch,focusesonissues suchaslandandresources,ratherthanonissuesofprime concerntoaboriginalwomensuchasfamilies,healthand childwelfare.Thegroupalsonotedthatitisdifficultfor aboriginalwomentospeakoutatmale-dominatedmeetings, andevenwhenwomendotaketheinitiativetoexpresstheir views,theirvoicesareoftenoverpowered. Thefocusgroupsuggestedthataboriginalwomenshould beinvolvedindevelopingtoolsforotheraboriginalwomen. TheyurgedtheTreatyCommissiontofacilitateaseriesof ‘talkingcircles’wherewomencouldvoicetheirconcerns anddreamsforthefutureoftheircommunities. The video Respondingtothefocusgroup’ssuggestion,theTreaty Commissionorganizedtalkingcircleswithwomeninfive differentcommunities–anurbanFirstNation,aremote FirstNation,aruralFirstNationandagroupofwomen livinginanurbanarea.Whilethetalkingcirclespresentvery differentperspectives,andverydifferentwaysofdealing withissues,thewomensharemanyofthesamechallenges andmanyofthesamegoalsforthefuture. Goal Thetalkingcirclesthatyouwillseeinthefilmareintended toreflectthemanycommonconcernsandchallenges aboriginalwomenshare,andthemanydifferentjourneys eachwoman–andeachnation–hastakenintheirjourney tobuildabetterfuturefortheircommunities.Through providingthisvideotoFirstNationcommunitiesacross BritishColumbia,wehopetoengageaboriginalwomen intalkingcirclesoftheirownandempowerwomentoget involvedintheircommunities. Page13includesalistofquestionsthatyoumaywant tousetoconveneyourowntalkingcirclediscussion,along withsomeguidelinesonconveningatalkingcircle. PresentBackground on communities featured in film Ktunaxa Nation (Cranbrook, BC) Thetalkingcirclesjourneybeganinthewinterof2002with womenoftheKtunaxaNation1attheirSt.Mary’sreserve nearCranbrook,intheSt.EugeneMissionResort.The Ktunaxaaremigratorypeoplewhotraditionallyoccupied andusedthelandandwatersfromBC’sRockyMountains toMontanaandIdaho.TheKtunaxapeoplelivedanomadic lifestyle,followingvegetationandhuntingcyclesthroughout theirterritoryforover10,000years. TheKtunaxa/KinbasketTreatyCouncil(kktc)wasinitially formedastheKootenayIndianDistrictCouncilin1970to collectivelypromotethepoliticalandsocialdevelopmentof theKtunaxaNation.TheKtuanxa/KinbasketTreatyCouncil includestheColumbiaLakeBand,LowerKootenayBand, ShuswapIndianBand,St.Mary’sIndianBandandTobacco PlainsBand.Themajorityofthemembersofthefive CanadianBandsoriginatefromtheKtunaxaorKootenai culture.However,theShuswapBandcontainsdescendants oftheKinbasketfamilywhomovedtotheInvermerearea inthe19thcenturyfromterritoryoftheShuswapNation. TherearemanywomenleadersintheKtunaxacommunity andtheyhavebeenadrivingforcebehindthecitizen-driven treatyprocess,whichisdesignedtoensurethattreaty negotiationsareledbytheKtunaxapeople.TheKtunaxa KinbasketTreatyCouncilenteredthetreatyprocessin December1993,andisnowinstage4ofthesix-stage process,negotiatinganagreementinprinciple. 1VickieThomasisincorrectlyidentifiedintheKtunaxaTalkingCircleas“VickiRussell”.Hername appearscorrectlyinthefilmcredits.Elizabeth‘Grevelle’shouldbespelled“Gravelle”. Gitxsan Nation (Hazelton, BC) IntheSpringof2003,wevisitedtheGitxsanNationin Hazelton,BC.Gitxsan’straditionalterritoryspanstheupper reachesoftheSkeenaandNassRivers. TheGitxsanfollowatraditional,matrilinealsystemwith membersofmorethan60House(Wilp)Groupsbelonging tooneoffourClans:Wolf,Frog,FireweedandEagle.Each househasahereditarychief.Ahereditarychiefmayhave severalwingchiefswhoperformparticularfunctionsfor housememberssuchasplanningandadministeringforestry work,tourisminitiativesorcommercialfisheryundertakings. Gitxsanhistoryandlawsarepassedonorally.EachWilphas anadaawk,ororalhistory,whichdescribesimportantevents intheHouse’sexistence.Thecarvingsonatotempolerecord partsofaHouse’sadaawk.Theadaawkistiedtotheterritory andeventsdepictedbythecrestsontotempolessignify jurisdictionoveraterritorybyaWilpanditshereditarychief. TheGitxsanNationandWet’suwet’enNationbroughtthe DelgamuukwcasetotheSupremeCourtofCanada.In1997, theSupremeCourtruledthataboriginaltitleisarightto thelanditself–notjusttherighttohunt,fishandgather. Delgamuukwiswidelyseenasamajorturningpointin aboriginalrightsandtitle. TheGitxsanHereditaryChiefsenteredthetreatyprocessin June1994,andarenowinstage4ofthesix-stageprocess, negotiatinganagreementinprinciple. Kaska Nation (Watson Lake, Yukon) Inthesummerof2003wevisitedwomenoftheKaska Nationwhoweregatheredintheremotecommunityof WatsonLake,Yukontoattendavigilonviolenceagainst women.Thewomen,spreadoutacrossfiveseparate Kaskacommunities,meetcontinuouslyaspartofthe LiardAboriginalWomen’sSociety(laws). lawswasestablishedin1998whenagroupofinterested womenfromLiardFirstNationorganizedasasocietytofulfill aneedforcommunityfundraisingforsocialandrecreational purposes.Inashorttime,thesocietyevolvedfromorganizing fundraisingandsmallculturaleventstodevelopingandoffering acomprehensivecommunityhealingprogram.lawshas aprojectunderwaytopromotewomen’sinvolvementin leadershiprolesandinbuildingtheKaskaNationconstitution. TheKaskapeopletraditionallylivedinwhatisnownorthern BC,theYukonandtheNorthwestTerritories.UndertheBC treatyprocess,theKaskaDenaCouncil,LiardFirstNation andRossRiverDenaCouncilarenegotiatingtogetheratthe KaskaNationtable.TheKaskaNationmustfacethechallenge ofnegotiatingundertheYukonUmbrellaAgreementand theBCtreatyprocess. TheKaskaNationenteredtheBCtreatyprocessinJanuary 1994,andisnowinstage4ofthesix-stageprocess, negotiatinganagreementinprinciple. Tsleil-Waututh (North Vancouver, BC) Inthefallof2003,wevisitedwomenoftheTsleil-WaututhFirst Nation–asmallCoastSalishcommunityof385nestledinthe middleoftheNorthVancouvermetropolis.Tsleil-WaututhFirst Nation(twfn)isoneof55individualCoastSalishNations, consistingoffivelanguagegroups.Todaytheyarelocatedthree kilometerseastoftheIronWorkersMemorialBridge,inanarea thathasbeenavillagesiteforthenationsincetimeoutofmind. Tsleil-WaututhFirstNationhasworkedhardtodevelop relationshipswiththeirneighboursandhaveseveralcoop- erativebusinessventuresunderway.Thiswasnecessaryas thetwfnfoundthatthebestwaytobuildarelationshipwas tobeginone.Todaythetwfnhasagreementswithvarious branchesofgovernment,privateenterpriseaswellas non-governmentalorganizations.Theserelationshipshave helpedthetwfnadvancetheirvisionfortheirterritory. Intheearly1990’s,theTsleil-WaututhNationbegantobuild 10 markethousing,intheformoftownhousesandcondominiums. Withthiswork,theybegantogeneraterevenue.Thenext stepwastolookabouttheterritoryandseewhatelsethe