We are the Indigenous Peoples of our Territories!
We have never given up our responsibilities for our land and our peoples. We cannot move away from that fundamental position and our beliefs and let our future generations down. We therefore reject the policies and processes of the federal and provincial governments, such as the federal policies on land claims and self-government and the British Columbia Treaty Process and the New Relationship that implement
those policies and undermine our strong historic position! Now is the time to stand up for: OUR LAND, OUR FUTURE!
We the INDIGENOUS PEOPLES in our TERRITORIES HAVE:
LAND RIGHTS:
Our Peoples never signed treaties, given up our territories, or accepted the reserves as a solution.
COLLECTIVE LAND BASE:
Our peoples collectively made decisions and cared for the land, it is inalienable. We have the right to control our territories.
NO TAX BASE:
Our peoples have opposed taxation on our lands and of our people, instead of paying tax we should collect tax from the settlers for the use of our lands.
CROWN FIDUCIARY:
Our Elders never accepted provincial jurisdiction and enforced the federal Crown fiduciary.
SOVEREIGN NATIONS:
Our Ancestors have never ceded our nationhood and territories and we continue to be independent indigenous nations.
The GOVERNMENTS and their POLICIES and PROCESSES PUSH :
EXTINGUISHMENT:
Modern Agreements extinguish our inherent land rights in return for small parcels of land (land selection) like reserves.
FEE SIMPLE:
If a group signs a treaty, the “treaty lands” are returned as fee simple lands—held like settler property that can be seized, forfeited and sold to settlers.
PROPERTY + INCOME TAX:
Any agreement signed means AUTOMATIC TAXATION! We lose the protection of the Crown and lose our Indian status.
PROVINCIAL CONTROL:
Modern Agreements cut ties to the federal Crown and “treaty lands” are provincial.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT:
Accepting delegated authority from the provincial and federal
governments with no independ- ent decision making powers.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
EDUCATE
Our people in our own ways about our deep connection to our territory.
Show how government policies and processes, such as the BC Treaty
Process, want to cut this connection and terminate us as indigenous peo-
ples. Education kits on treaty negotiations are available
ORGANIZE
Meetings to bring together our people and share in our responsibilities for
our land. Motivate our peoples to go out on the land and assert our rights
in our territories.
REJECT:
Government Policies and Processes that Process Agreements in Princip
in your territory or area and similar processes that increase provincial
control.
LOCAL CONTACT:
Arthur Manuel
Grassroots Coalition
Neskonlith Indian Reserve
RR 3 Site 31 Comp 7
Chase, BC, V0E 1M3
E-mail: amanuel@telus.net
Cell: (250) 319-0688