Interior Six Nation Alliance meets with Premier Eby and Minister Rankin

July 19, 2024 – Vancouver BC

The Interior Six Nation Alliance (Interior Alliance) met with Premier David Eby and Minister Murray Rankin, along with Jessica Wood, Deputy Minister, and Doug Caul, Deputy Minister, accompanied by provincial support staff, to discuss initiatives in implementing Bill 41, Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), with Indigenous Nations outside of the BC Treaty Process.

Common issues of concern raised by the Interior Alliance ranged from Territorial Overlap Issues Created by Provincial Processes; the Protection of Fraser River Wild Salmon; and Water Management and Environmental Conservation.  Also, a recap and commitments of the May 27, 2022, Interior Alliance meeting with Minister Rankin that was held in Westbank, BC.  Including discussions on implementing Bill 41, DRIPA with Nations outside the BC Treaty process. 

Previously a bilateral process was established between the Interior Alliance Nations and the Province with than Premier Glen Clark regarding changes to the “status quo” concerning land and resource issues, recognizing the Interior Alliance Nations were outside of the BC Treaty process.

The St’at’imc Chiefs Council (SCC) have been tasked with coordinating and organizing meetings for the Interior Alliance, which included a meeting with Minister Murray Rankin, Jessica Wood, Declaration Act Secretariat, Tom McCarthy, Assistant Deputy Minister, Lori Halls, Deputy Minister, and Ashley Bodnar, Chief Negotiator, in Westbank on May 27, 2022. At this meeting the province committed to a follow-up meeting, further stating the provincial government reaffirms its intent to achieve government-to-government relationships based on respect, recognition, and exercise of Aboriginal title and rights and reconciliation of Aboriginal and Crown titles and jurisdiction.

Background Information

In 1998, the Interior Chiefs reestablished the Allied Tribe of BC that was formed in 1916, establishing the Interior Alliance, a political body focused on the protection of our collective Aboriginal title, jurisdiction, rights and interests.  The Interior Alliance is comprised of six neighbouring interior Nations that include the Southern Carrier, Tsilqot’in, Secwepemc, Nlaka’pamux, Okanagan and St’at’imc, together representing 52 Indigenous communities. The Interior Alliance upholds our Nations’ earlier declarations made by our former respective Chiefs made to the Government of Canada, specifically the 1910 Memorial to Sir Willfred Laurier; and the 1911 Memorial to Honorable Frank Oliver, Minister of the Interior.

These Memorials affirm that we hold Title to our respective territories and none other than ourselves hold Title to our territories.  It is from this standpoint that recognition, protection, enforcement and reconciliation of our Aboriginal title, rights, jurisdiction, culture and traditions, including our way of life, impacted by provincial policies through assumed jurisdiction of our territories that must be dealt with by governments of the Crown. 

Collectively, we have always maintained our unceded Aboriginal title, jurisdiction, rights, and responsibilities over our traditional territories using our Indigenous laws. We have never surrendered, or extinguished our title to any foreign government, not to Great Britain, Canada nor British Columbia.

Meeting with Premier David Eby and Minister Murray Rankin – July 19, 2024

Representatives from the St’át’imc Nation, Okanagan Nation Alliance, Scw’exmx Tribal Council/Nicola Tribal Council, Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council, Shuswap Nation Tribal Council – the Interior Alliance, met with Premier Eby and Minister Rankin in Vancouver at Premier Eby’s office. 

It was stated that the Interior Alliance is seeking to establish a Bilateral Table, outside of the BC Treaty Process with the Province.  Which would include implementing Bill 41 Section 6 & 7 agreements, as well, address overlap issues.  It was further stated that the provincial revenue sharing process has resulted in communities claiming territory beyond their Nation’s boundaries, and that the province knows each Nation’s boundaries through ethnographical studies.  

In addition, the protection of the Fraser River Wild Salmon is important to the Interior Nations, who were never consulted nor gave consent to the 5-year renewal of licenses to fish farms, and that Canada is overstepping our Aboriginal rights.  As well, the mismanagement of water is of concern for our culture and traditions as it relates to wild salmon, especially when the Fraser River was so low last September the salmon had to be dip netted to be transport farther upstream. 

Premier Edy closed by stating he liked the ideal of having a regular table established to discuss water management and manage use.  Also discuss the issue of boundaries.

Minister Rankin also stated he is open to further discussions regarding the Declaration Act.  In addition to create a commission for Nation-to-Nation to address overlap.  The province is not prioritizing treaty table, Haida is an example.  The province is open to different approaches. 

Interior Alliance closed by stating we need to have further discussion at a political table, such as this table in which Chiefs from each Nation are involved.  We can not be stuck with Regional and District Managers, who do not have the appropriate mandate to deal with land and resource issues, as well the implementation of Bill 41 of incorporating Indigenous Law into current legislation.  To move this table forward, we just need to brush off previous work done by the Interior Alliance and the Province and look at implementing Bill 41.