The Tlowitsis Treaty will be a new beginning for our people. It’s a chance for us to welcome our children and our grandchildren home, and to learn and use our language again. It’s a chance for us to hold our heads high and be proud of who we are, and share our pride together in being Tlowitsis. And, it’s a chance to once again learn from our Elders – and from each other – what it means to be Tlowitsis.
The treaty isn’t about the Chiefs, or the negotiators – it’s about you, the citizens of the Tlowitsis First Nation. We want you to learn about what is on the table for negotiation. We want you to ask us questions about what the treaty will mean for you and your family. And we want you to get involved and provide feedback, so that we can negotiate a treaty all of our citizens can be proud of.
Background
The Tlowitsis First Nation has been in treaty negotiations with the governments of British Columbia and Canada since 1993, and has been negotiating on our own since 2005.
The Parties are now close to an Agreement in Principle (AIP) that will form the foundation of the formal treaty with BC and Canada. It is expected that an AIP (Stage 4 of negotiations) will be reached in the spring of 2019, at which time Stage 5 negotiations will begin. These negotiations will lead to the conclusion of a formal treaty.
The formal treaty, once concluded, will need to be ratified by a vote of greater than 50 per cent of the enrolled citizens of the Tlowitsis First Nation. As such, the treaty will need to be a reflection of the hopes and desires of a majority of the enrolled citizens.
This treaty is about you. It’s your choice, about your future. No decisions will be made without your input – and that’s why we want to hear from you.
Learn more
Find out more about the treaty process, how to get involved, and what’s next.