First Nations — Title and Rights Alliance
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For the first time since the 1970s, treaty, non-treaty and independent First Nations from all over BC have united to protect land, forests, and communities for future generations.
The resulting Title & Rights Alliance has the potential to transform the future of BC’s environment and economy.
“The growing alliance amongst First Nations marks a new direction in British Columbia history,” said Tribal Chief Harry Pierre of the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council. “Our collective goal is to ensure that lands will be managed responsibly and that First Nation Rights and Title are respected.”
Outraged by the current BC government's forest schemes, First Nation Chiefs, elders and youth have come together for three historic unity conferences.
- At the first meeting in Kelowna, the 300 participants issued a joint statement that calls on the province to repeal recent land and forest legislation, which was designed to undermine recent First Nations court victories and give more authority to corporations to manage forests and police themselves.
- At the second meeting in Prince George, 500 First Nations leaders formally ratified the joint statement, created a Steering Committee of influential leaders and endorsed an “Action Plan,” which includes legal, political, and financial strategies that will create real challenges for the current provincial government.
- Over 3000 elders, leaders and youth caravanned to Victoria in May, 2004 for the historic Moving Forward in Unity gathering and march on the legislature. This was the largest First National political demonstration in BC history.
The Action Plan endorsed by Title and Rights Alliance supporters counters the Campbell government's attempt to create certainty for resource companies through their trickledown economic scheme of deregulation, corporate subsidies and privatization.
Lawsuits against new forest legislation, takeovers and mergers, privatization of land, and the validity of tenures are being prepared. As are strategies to use the resulting economic "uncertainty" to create incentives for change.
“Only the First Nations of BC can provide the certainty that the provincial Crown and resource industries are seeking,” said Justa Monk, a member of the new Alliance’s Steering Committee.
