Historic B.C. treaty vote could transform future of Lheidli T'enneh First Nation

Voting is underway to determine the fate of agroundbreaking treaty in north-central British Columbia, 11years after it was first rejected by members of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation.

At stake is more than43 square kilometres of land in and around Prince George, millions of dollars and the nature of the LheidliT'enneh's relationship with the federal and provincial governments.

It's largely the same document that was defeated by a vote of 123 to 111 by the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation in 2007, fizzling hopes it would be the first of many agreements adopted under the B.C. Treaty Commission.

To date, only four treaties have reached the implementation stage.

There are approximately 600 members of theLheidliT'ennehNation, most of whom live in the Prince George area, but also scattered throughout western Canada and the U.S.

Pros and cons

David Luggi,former chief of the CarrierSekaniTribal Council, which represents several First Nations neighbouring theLheidliT'enneh, doesn't want the treaty to pass and says the First Nation is entitled to more land than is being offered.

Luggi arguesthe political and legal landscape of Canada has changed since the treaty was first negotiated in 2007, pointing to the federal government's adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the 2014 Supreme Court ruling granting theTsihlhqot'inFirst Nation title to more than 1,700 squarekilometresof land.

• Canada officially adopts UN declaration on rights of Indigenous Peoples

• Tsilhqot'in First Nation granted B.C. title claim in Supreme Court ruling

LuggisaidtheLheidliT'ennehare entitled to more that 15,000 square kilometres of territory far more than the 43 square kilometres on offer as well as revenue from economic activity in the region, ranging from fishing and forestry to the building of pipelines for liquefied natural gas.

However, RickKrehbielwho's worked for theLheidliT'ennehas a treaty consultant and negotiator since themid-1990s, favours the treaty.

Krehbiel said one of its key benefits is that it removes theLheidliT'ennehfrom theIndian Act and ushers anera ofself-governanceunder a constitution.

That constitution would, among other things, allowtheLheidliT'ennehto collect taxes on their land and set rules around citizenship.

"It's very difficult to get ahead under theIndian Act," he said. "It's an old, outdated piece of legislation that gives First Nations the weakest order of government in Canada."

Educational efforts

To pass, the treaty needs 50 per cent plus one of alleligible voters in the LheidliT'ennehFirst Nation. If defeated, it will be taken off the table altogether.There will be a voting station in Prince George June 17and June 23, and one in Vancouver on June 22.

Tamara Seymour has spent most of the past three years encouraging people to get informed.

"It's important that everyLheidliT'ennehmember makes their own individual choice," Seymour said.

She and her team havebeen working to distil the agreement into easily understandable pointsthrough a Facebook page, website and hundredsof community meetings across western Canada.

She said presenting thetreaty in plain language is important because many people, herself included, were confused when they voted in 2007.

"It's a hard read," she said of the over-200 page document.

The Lheidli T'enneh are also holding a homecoming this weekend, welcoming members from across North America to encourage voting.

Seymour said whether the treaty is adopted or not, her main hope is people feel educated particularly younger generations.

"It's about them," she said. "It's their future."

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