CanyonCurrent. The 2015 year brings a new newsletter. TFN Treaty Society creates new newsletter. In this issue

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1 CanyonCurrent The 2015 year brings a new newsletter aimed at bringing information to the nations in which Tsimshian First Nations (TFN) works with and for. Fittingly named the newsletter is called: Hagwilyaa which roughly translated means, to takes ones time. A monthly newsletter from the Kitselas Treaty Office Volume 6 - Issue 2 February 2015 TFN Treaty Society creates new newsletter By Holly M. Spencer The TFN has represented the five treaty negotiating nations being: Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, Metlakatla, Kitasoo and Gitga at. Although the five nations are in various stages of the treaty process, all have been equally represented by TFN and their respective negotiators. The TFN Treaty Society Negotiators along with Negotiators for Canada and British Columbia generally meet on a monthly basis. Between negotiation meetings, the Tsimshian First Nations review meetings results, continue back ground research and plan for the next round of discussions. This newsletter and newly created website: www. tfntreaty.ca were launched by the newly hired Hilary Zornow. She is no stranger to treaty communications and these initiatives are an excellent start for TFN Treaty Society. To be added to the distribution list contact: tfntreaty@gmail.com In this issue Gitxsan hosts Fish Forum...2 Negotiations Update...3 ITA Lands Update...4 Living under the Indian Act...5 Lax gyells...6

2 treaty Gitxsan to host Skeena Fish Forum at end of the February The British Columbia Treaty Commission will be facilitating the Skeena River Fish Forum, which includes many First Nations along the Skeena Watershed. This particular meeting is the fourth to be held in the Northwest. The Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs will be hosting the forum in Hazelton. Although talks of any sort, have usually been very contentious with the Gitxsan, Mark F. Smith, General Counsel and / Director of Process for the B.C. Treaty Commission stated in an The goal of the Skeena Fish Forum is effective governance amongst First Nations of the Skeena watershed. This is a shared objective, and to reach it, disagreements and how the Nations deal with them, should be addressed through a Government to Government, Nation to Nation protocol. Previous forums have been very well attended, and although these meetings are not open to the general public, an update from this forum will be included in the March issue of the Canyon Current. 2 CanyonCurrent

3 treaty Treaty Negotiations Update As we start a new year of Treaty Negotiations, the big factor that is still on a lot of people minds, is fish. As mentioned in the last issue of the Canyon Current, a Fisheries Common Table Working Group including Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, and Metlakatla would begin in This Fisheries Working Group will be led by Canada Negotiators and DFO, and the concept is to work on the Governance initiatives of Fish and NOT Fish allocation. Allocation will be negotiated separately on at each table. The Kitselas Treaty Team has hired Fisheries Biologist Karl English to work with our Treaty Negotiating Team. Karl English a well-known Fisheries Biologist to First Nations in our area, and has spent most of his career designing and implementing studies to improve the quality and quantity Karl English Fisheries Biologist of information available for the management and assessment of Pacific salmon and steelhead stocks. Karl has provided expert advice to First Nations, industry, NGOs, university researchers, and all levels of government. Karl has a wealth of information and data on Northwest Coastal Fish, which will assist our Treaty Team as fish talks continue. An important reminder is that the outcome of this working group is to meet requirements for 3 separate Agreements: Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, and Metlakatla. By Clarisa Spencer January Treaty Negotiations were held in Terrace, and we would like to thank Kitselas Band Council Members Wilfred Bennett Jr. and Wilfred Bennett Sr. who took time to come out and observe these important talks over the 3 days. Chief Joe Bevan and I, Clarisa Spencer, are also Band Council Members, who currently sit at the Negotiating Table every month. January 27, Treaty Negotiations Table with Canada, DFO, Kitselas, and Kitsumkalum Picture by Sharlene Mohr - Kitselas Treaty The next Negotiating Session will be held in Victoria on February 24-26, 2015 and I look forward to providing you with an update on the next Canyon Current. If you have any questions please contact me at ext A monthly newsletter from the Kitselas Treaty Office 3

4 Treaty Incremental Treaty Land and Crown Land Update By Glenn Bennett As part of ongoing negotiations with Canada and British Columbia we have negotiated benefits that Kitselas can take advantage of right now before the Final Agreement. The one that has come to the forefront is referred to as Incremental Treaty Agreement Kitselas Treaty researched and identified parcels of land that can be transferred to Kitselas. Three parcels were identified which are referred to as the following; 1) High Lake, 2) Cat Point, 3) Crown Land adjacent to I.R. #1. The lands that were identified were originally being negotiated by Willie McKenzie and Chris Knight they were initially looking at the Crown Land adjacent to I.R.#1 and the idea was to acquire the crown land and then tie it into the Kitselas Canyon Park Development, i.e. RV Park, possible Gas Bar etc. The Crown land adjacent to I.R.# 1 the timber located on the Crown land has been determined to be merchantable. The transfer could only be done with Kitselas Development Corporation as First Nation doesn t have the legal authority to own land. Once the transfer was completed and signed over to KDC. Kitselas Treaty decided to provide assistance to KDC and commission a study to analyze the three parcels of crown land and determine what would be the best use of these lands for economic development opportunities. Kitselas Treaty had funding to undertake this project and requested proposal from three companies to 4 CanyonCurrent analyze the ITA lands and provide a report that outline the potential uses of the ITA lands. All North was selected based on their proposal, Mr. Tosh Yamashita and Dr. Norma Kirby were awarded the contract to develop the report. All North conducted field trips to do a site visit to the three parcels of land and the Crown Land adjacent to I.R.# 1 was a site visit that included staff from both KDC and KTO. Continued on page 5

5 treaty Living under the Indian Act By Holly M. Spencer In a continued effort to give Kitselas membership a clear idea of the negative impacts the Indian Act has upon our lives, the Kitselas Treaty Office will be holding an evening dinner and discussion. Many people are not aware of the negative reprecussions that the act has upon first nations people, since its inception in The presentation will be facilitated by Lidia Jendzjowsky and Herb George, who have both previously presented to the community at prior treaty meetings. As Kitselas moves closer and closer to a Final Agreement in Principal, the Treaty Team has realized that we need to take a step back and refresh the minds of our members to ensure that everyone is thinking of the big picture and can ask questions and address any misconceptions about the ways things are under the Indian Act. Lida and Herb will also be giving extensive training to the Treaty Staff as a means of taking a step back and looking at why a Treaty is so important to our future. Further information will be given in March as to the time and place of this evening dinner and discussion. The people who live under the Indian Act in Canada live in unique circumstances. There are no other citizens of Canada for whom a specific piece of federal legislation regulates their social and political citizenship, and the most fundamental features of their social and economic lives. No other groups of people, except those who are in prisons, live so thoroughly under the supervision and control of the executive branch of the federal government. (F. Abele, Like an ill-fitting boot: Government, Governance and Management Systems in the Contemporary Indian Act p. 32) Kitselas treaty didn t have the best information at its disposal when the two other parcels, High Lake, Cat Point were selected we have learned that the development opportunities for the parcels are going to be limited. Cat Point is located on the West side of Lakelse Lake, lake front property, initial discussions this parcel can be used as Ecotourism, and potential First Nations cultural tourism as Lakelse Lake is an important part of Kitselas History and an area that Kitselas utilized to access Traditional Trap lines in the Kitimat Valley. As with our custom this area was owned by a Kitselas member and part of their house territory. High Lake is located south of Terrace and this area was select due to its close proximity to existing railway service to Kitimat. According to the report High Lake the ground is unstable and not suitable for Industrial development. This land was selected due to the potential development opportunities such as an Oil Refinery, Geo Thermal Energy Plant, Bio Pellet Plant. Etc. A monthly newsletter from the Kitselas Treaty Office 5

6 history Lax gyells- a look back By Cyril Bennett-Nabess L ike the name of our people Gitselasu or Ts imshian we derive our name from the place we live. The English name Lake elselake derives from the original Smalay gax name of the lake Lax gyells meaning place of muscles or place of freshwater muscles. This area was occupied by the Gitselasu Lax gibu. Our people harvested and fished the various streams and water ways, utilizing the fertile mountain valleys for hunting and trapping game. The laxgibu resided at the mouth ksi aaks Lax gyells (lake else river) and Gits aaw (Williams creek) inside the lake. The Gitselasu wolf houses having their own individual History s and origins, shows the ancient historical use and occupation of the lax gyells by Gitselasu. Like the canyon, other Gitselasu clan houses summered & harvested at lax gyells. With additional houses brought additional Chiefs and wealth to the area, allowing for our people to expand numbers and share our rich histories. Notable Gitselasu people that historically utalized the lake area: Luke Bevan, Albert McKenzie, Ester Kennedy, Albert Young, Mark McKay, Samuel Wallace, Titus Campbell, Eddie Bennett, Joseph Hudson, Willy McKenzie, Willard Seymour, Raymond Seymour, Wilfred Bennett Sr, Chris Bolton and many more. Today around lake else lake there is little to no Gitselasu presence other then the land itself, leaving much of the area occupied by urban populations. Through negotiations we have identified land around the lake to be transferred to Gitselasu as a part of TSL (Treaty Settlement Land), insuring and insisting that we as Gitselasu maintain a relationship with the land that has been with us since the beginning. 6 CanyonCurrent

7 Symalgyx Words Ha liwilgyisiyaask - February translates to: ~The time of the North Wind~ In the photo to the left is the group of Kitselas members who took part in the evening L Drivers Licence Workshops, participating in a RCMP presentation on the final day of the weeks workshop. Congratulations to all of the people who completed the workshop and have gone on to take the Learners Drivers Test. lagüünsk - Family translates to: ~to be together, Family~ POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH 13th & 14th 2015 A monthly newsletter from the Kitselas Treaty Office 7

8 Pictured above are the trainees from the recent Westcoast Fishing Adventure Fishing Guide Program sponsored by the Kitselas Development Corporation and Tricorp. Sheldon and Robby two representatives of the Kispiox River Adventures. Way to go to Spencer McGillis, Gerald Nyce and Ben Larose for beginning the training! Watch for a full editorial in the March issue of the Canyon Current Kitselas Treaty Office 4562 Queensway Drive Terrace, BC V8G 3X6 Phone: Toll free: Fax: Get in touch! Want to receive the Canyon Current by ? Have photos, news or story ideas? Get in touch with Treaty Communications Director Holly M. Spencer 8 A monthly newsletter from the Kitselas Treaty Office