VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (April 13, 2013) – The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, the Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation for the Province of British Columbia , and Yale First Nation Chief Robert Hope signed the Yale First Nation Final Agreement. This is the third Final Agreement in BC to be signed by Canada, British Columbia and First Nations.
This marks an historic step towards achieving a treaty for Yale First Nation,
said Minister Valcourt. Our government will continue to work with First Nations in B.C. to conclude treaties, which provide certainty about ownership of land and resources, and create new investment opportunities and jobs on the west coast. This will contribute to increased economic activity that will benefit not just the First Nation, but British Columbia and, ultimately, Canada.
This historic undertaking marks another success story in the reconciliation process and will provide Yale First Nation members with a solid foundation upon which to build a sustainable economy,
said Ida Chong, B.C.'s Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. This treaty will translate into greater prosperity, providing jobs and certainty throughout the region, and I know the people of the Yale First Nation are eager for the kind of future treaty will bring.
Through years of perseverance and hard work with Canada and the Province, we have now achieved the Yale Treaty,
said Chief Hope. The treaty offers us a roadmap for the future and will open up new opportunities and benefits for our community, neighbouring municipalities and First Nations. We look forward to determining our own destiny through self-government.
The tripartite Final Agreement signing allows the federal government to formally proceed with the introduction of legislation in Parliament to ratify the Agreement.
Treaty negotiations with Yale First Nation concluded February 5, 2010, when Canada, BC and Yale initialled the final agreements. First Nation members approved the agreement in March 2011. The provincial legislation, entitled Bill 11 – 2011: Yale First Nations Final Agreement Act , was introduced in the provincial legislature on May 18, 2011, and passed on June 2, 2011.
Located in the interior of British Columbia, along the Fraser River, about 20 km north of the town of Hope, Yale First Nation is comprised of about 150 community members. This Final Agreement provides that the First Nation will privately own approximately 1,966 hectares of Treaty Settlement Lands, made up of 217 hectares of Yale's former Indian reserves and 1,749 hectares of provincial Crown lands. In addition, Yale First Nation will receive a capital transfer of $10.7 million from Canada, less any outstanding negotiation loans, and economic development funding of $2.2 million.
The treaty provides for Yale First Nation's ownership of subsurface and forest resources, as well as fishing, gathering and harvesting rights for domestic purposes, in accordance with terms set out in the treaty. The First Nation's access to commercial fishing opportunities for Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon are dealt with outside of this treaty in a separate Harvest Agreement.
The BC treaty process is delivering results. Tsawwassen First Nation and the five Maa-nulth First Nations are implementing their Final Agreements. In addition to Yale, Sliammon First Nation has completed final agreement negotiations. In-SHUCK-ch and Yekooche Nations are nearing final agreements. K'omoks First Nation has completed an agreement-in-principle. Ten other First Nations are in the process of concluding agreements-in-principle. There are a further twenty-seven First Nations in active treaty negotiations.
Since 1973, across Canada, 24 comprehensive land claims and two stand-alone self-government agreements have been concluded and are being implemented. Of the 24 concluded claims, 18 included provisions related to self-government.
Backgrounder - Yale First Nation Final Agreement
Jan O'Driscoll
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt
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Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
819-953-1160
Communications
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Mark Brennae
Director of Communications
250-953-3211
