In 1996, I joined the federal treaty negotiation office as a public information and consultation advisor. One of the treaty tables I was working with was a small First Nation near Vancouver. My colleague at the Tsawwassen First Nation was a young communications officer called Kim Baird.

Eleven years later, Kim has led her community to approve the first ever treaty negotiated under the BC Treaty Process. It has been a long ride, and Tsawwassen is bucking a lot of currents that suggest that the current treaty process is a hoodwink and a sham. I have my own feelings about this, and some might be surprised that I support this view to some extent. Having worked within the process I have some insight.   But I also feel strongly that communities should have the right to choose their terms of engagement with the federal and provincial governments. Some Nations choose treaties, some choose litigation and others choose activism. I am, in general supportive of all, because I feel fundamentally that the right to choose one’s destiny is paramount. Whether a community makes a mistake or not is up to that community to discover.

Because I know Kim and consider her a friend, I have followed the TFN negotiations with interest. TFN have made some interesting choices about how to open up their government structure to include more voices, and especially voices of dissent. I think Tsawwassen have accomplished something significant for themselves, and the hard work really lies ahead for them. I offer them my heartfelt congratulations and support, and if there is any way I can help with some of that heavy lifting, I’d be honoured to do so.

[tags]BC Treaty process, Tswwassen First Nation, treaty, british columbia[/tags]