Dear Society Members;

This letter is to register my serious concern, and that of my Council and community, about the actions of other Tsimshian First Nations asserting interests in Kitselas core territories. This issue has gone unresolved for years, notwithstanding the fact that the reconciliation of territorial interests will be a requirement for any final treaty settlement.

Since the Haida decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, governments and the private sector have changed the way they do business in First Nation's traditional territories. This major shift in policy and procedures has created unexpected new opportunities for First Nations in terms of involvement in projects being proposed by others in our lands as well a opportunities for the negotiation of expanded land interests, resource tenures, expanded revenues and other economic and social benefits. However, these opportunities will continue to elude us if we are unable to achieve a workable level of certainty with respect to our core territories. Recent events have brought the issue of certainty with respect to our territories into sharp focus. Kitselas has negotiated an agreement with the City of re for the transfer of significant lands in the Terrace / Kitimat transportation corridor from the Province, for a joint venture industrial land development. That transfer has been challenged by other First Nations thus potentially preventing Kitselas from realizing a major land expansion and economic development goal. The Terrace / Kitimat transportation corridor is in the heart of the territory. It is core to our economic and future treaty objectives. In our view, no other First Nation has the degree of attachment to this area that Kitselas has. Furthermore, we are in intensive negotiations with project proponents who intend to construct pipeline projects through our territory. As with the industrial land project, the proposed pipeline routing goes through the heart of our territory, the upper Copper, Clore, and upper Kitimat watersheds.

We need to take steps to assure ourselves of an enhanced level of certainty in our own territories. Without that certainty, our further participation in collective treaty negotiations with some of those same First Nations that are intervening against us and threatening the achievement of our goals seems a contradiction.

First Nations lose credibility with these pointless and seemingly never ending squabbles with one another over territorial interests. We merely succeed in increasing the level of cynicism in government and the business community about our abilities and capacity. We also hand them the opportunity to do nothing and as a result, escape their obligations under the law. If we continue to ignore this issue, we will inevitably wind up in court against one another, thereby giving the courts the ability to rule against all of our territorial assertions. However, no one should be mistaken that Kitselas will not use any and all means necessary to defend what we know are our core land areas.

On the other hand, we have a forum at our disposal; one that we control and that is this Tsimshian Treaty Society. I propose that we use these upcoming planning sessions to squarely address the issue of territorial certainty and design and agree on a process for achieving a resolution.

Yours truly,
(signed)
Glenn Bennett, Chief Councillor