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Why a Treaty?
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Why a Treaty for NStQ? An Overview of the Tscentwécw
What are TREATIES?
- Long-overdue recognition that the NStQ were occupying our land, when settlers arrived
- Revitalize Indigenous languages and culture, in short, reconciliation.
- Acknowledgment of NStQ’s inherent pre-contact rights that continue today
- An agreement between Canada, BC, and NStQ to:
- Recognize NStQ’s land title and rights.
- Return to self-government with the co-existence of Crown and NStQ Government and Laws.
- Unlock economic development opportunities.
- Ensure a true sharing of prosperity.
- Build a new nation-to-nation, government to-government relationship.
What does Treaty GIVE NSTQ?
- Significant amount of land: Land has spiritual, economic, and political significance for our people.
- Cash
- Legal authority: We will make the rules for the Treaty Settlement Lands.
- Freedom from the Indian Act
- Certainty: This means clarity and predictability when it comes to ownership, rights, responsibilities, and authority for all parties. If future court rulings, laws, or policies affect our rights, every 10 years, we will have a chance to update our Treaty (Periodic Renewal), but only if we agree to any changes
What will be in our NStQ CONSTITUTION?
- Who we are
- Citizenship including defining eligibility to be enrolled in the Treaty
- NStQ Bill of Rights
- The way we choose to govern ourselves
- Relationship between government, people, and land
- Our elected leadership
- NStQ legislation
- Powers and limitations of NSTS Government and Administration
What benefits would NStQ GET BY RATIFYING?
- Reconciliation Formally recognize and confirm Aboriginal Rights and Title
- Constitutional Protection
- Treaty protects our rights under Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution and provides clarity about rights and obligations of all parties.
- Certainty
- Treaty can only be changed if all parties agree through a Periodic Renewal process.
- Reduced conflict over lands and resources between NStQ and others
- Economic Development
- NStQ and local communities will benefit from Treaty’s certainty and cash settlement, which supports investments and economic development.
- Expanded NStQ roles for resources including, fisheries, forestry, taxation on Treaty Settlement Lands, and the meaningful right to be consulted
- Having an equal place ‘at the table’ for anything impacting Canada, BC and NStQ lands or waters