Nine Allied Tribes and the Mayor and Council of the Lax Kw’alaams Band have serious concerns at this time with the Province of British Columbia tabling legislation before the legislature to enact the Kitselas First Nation proposed treaty.

We take no issue with First Nations asserting self-government through treaty, however we will never consent to a treaty proposal that impacts or infringes our rights, title, interests, and inherent right self-determination within our territory.

It is unacceptable the Province and Kitselas continue to violate Tsimshian law, and advance the current Kitselas treaty proposal that asserts interests in our territory. They ignore volumes of evidence of mutual agreements and territorial maps endorsed by Kitselas, which show Kitselas clearly agreed their territory is outside our territorial boundaries. Yet, the Province and Kitselas continue advancing a treaty proposal that violates these long-standing solemn boundary agreements.

We are compelled to inform our community members that since we became aware of the Kitselas treaty proposal years ago, we have taken consistent and diligent steps to defend our territory and attempts to grab our lands, rights, and interests in our territory.

We will hold the Province to its legal duty to meaningfully and adequately consult and accommodate our rights, title, and interests. We will stand strong together to take continued action in defence of our ancestral territory – which belong to our present and future generations, not Kitselas.

– Nine Allied Tribes and Mayor and Council of the Lax Kw’alaams Band

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