B.C. Treaty Commission aims to have 14 treaties signed in 2 years
Discourse between Ottawa and the province seen as encouraging
The B.C. Treaty Commission says the political climate in the province and federally is ripe for pushing ahead stalled treaty negotiations.
The commission released a report Wednesday saying 14 negotiations are in the advanced stages, and chief commissioner Celeste Haldane says the goal is to see those treaties signed in the next two years.
Commissioner Jerry Lampert says the discourse in Ottawa, as well as early talks with B.C.'s new minister for Indigenous relations and reconciliation, are encouraging.
He says the federal and provincial governments have shown the desire to address reconciliation, but it's time for it to be transferred to the negotiating table.
The report says local and regional governments have also played a key role in finalizing recent treaty negotiations.
It says the Tla'amin Nation's treaty that was implemented in 2016 was signed thanks to a push from the Powell River mayor and councillors who went to Ottawa to advocate for its completion.