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What is Ratification?
Ratification is the vote by our community members on whether or not to approve the Tscentwécw agreement.
Our Ratification chapter is still in progress but in the most recent agreements at least 50% plus one of eligible voters had to cast ballots and at least 50% plus one had to vote “yes” in order for the agreements to be ratified.
Generally, the Ratification vote takes place within a year of initialing the agreement. During that year the communities will make every effort to contact eligible members and ensure they understand their rights and how, when and where to cast ballots.
Who is Eligible to Vote?
A person is eligible to be enroled to vote on the Tscentwécw Ratification and to become a citizen of our self-governing communities if they are either:
- A current member of an NStQ band;
- A person of NStQ ancestry with a demonstrated attachment to the community;
- A person adopted by Canadian or NStQ law;
- A person accepted into an NStQ community under NStQ customs;
- A descendant of an individual eligible for enrolment for any of the above reasons and who has a demonstrated attachment to the community.
There will be an Enrolment Committee to oversee a fair enrolment process and an Enrolment Appeal Board to review decisions of the committee.
Ratification Threshold
In the Ratification vote on the Agreement-in-Principle in 2016, any enrolled voters who failed to cast a ballot were counted as a “No” vote. Still, we ratified the AiP and moved into the final stage of negotiations.
That archaic rule has changed. In our Ratification vote on the Tscentwécw Agreement, only ballots cast will be counted. This is a much more fair process and more consistent with the processes in other jurisdictions.
This threshold is appropriate because there is no surrender or extinguishment of our inherent rights in the Tscentwécw Agreement.
Recent treaty nations like Komoks and Kitselas have required 50% voter turnout. Self-government is our right as First Nations people and we believe our citizens will make themselves heard in number. More than 90% of Komoks and Kitselas citizens cast ballots in their Ratification vote.
A Ratification Committee made up of one representative each from NStQ, BC and Canada will oversee a fair voting process. The committee will be impartial and cannot act “for” or “against” the agreement. This committee will decide when, where and how the vote will take place, and count and publish the results.
The Journey to Ratification
Increased Collaboration-It has been a long road to reach this final stage of negotiations. It wasn’t until after our AiP that Canada adopted a “Recognition of Rights” approach at the table. It’s what we had been fighting for. Treaty loans were forgiven in 2018. Extinguishment of rights is completely off the table.
Capacity Building-Investing in capacity-building initiatives that strengthen the governance and socio-economic wellbeing of our people is critical for ensuring meaningful participation in the treaty process. We continue to build our capacity by taking on projects that prepare us for self-government (e.g. Treaty Related Measures).
Constitutional Protection of Our Rights-The Indian Act can change at the whim of government. Treaties are protected under the Canadian Constitution. Recognizing and upholding the inherent right of our people, including the right to self-government, is fundamental to achieving a positive treaty outcome.
Nation Building-Treaty negotiations provide an opportunity for us to plan and prepare for self-government with a significantly increased land base. The work can strengthen our government structures and revitalize our cultural practices and identity.