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Check POST TRAVEL. » LET'S GO [Subscribe to the Post] SPECIAL REPORTS The most recent NP supplements online: » POST HOMES » DRIVER'S EDGE » DRIVER'S EDGE _______________________________________________________________ » ARCHIVES 60-DAY SEARCH _______________ [All NP...] sort by: (_) date (_) rank [Search Now!] [Search Help] (_) Product / Service (_) Company Name Search [dot.gif] [E-mail this story] [Print this page] April 27, 2002 Referendum will spur treaty process Gordon Campbell National Post In spite of great goodwill and the best of intentions, after almost a decade of negotiations and an investment of over $400-million, not one aboriginal treaty has been signed under the B.C. Treaty Commission process. Indeed, not one agreement in principle has been approved. That record spawns frustration with First Nations, federal and provincial negotiators alike. Clearly, it was necessary to engage the public and to reinvigorate a process that has failed us all. Some ask, "Should I give up on the treaty process?" I answer no. But we should be willing to challenge the conventional wisdom and institutional inertia that is the status quo. Last year, the B.C. Liberal government committed to include British Columbia's population in a one-time referendum to establish a provincial framework for B.C. negotiators at the treaty tables. It's a commitment that British Columbians elected us to honour. We believe it's time the public was included in this process. The referendum will give British Columbians a direct say on the principles that we believe should guide the province's approach to treaty negotiations. It will provide certainty for the province's negotiating position. It will reinvigorate the treaty process. And it will build a foundation for a new relationship with First Nations that ensures aboriginal British Columbians share fully in a prosperous future. The referendum lays out eight principles for B.C. negotiators. It allows British Columbians to vote "yes" or "no" to each of these. And each principle that voters ratify will be binding on provincial policy. For example, the referendum asks British Columbians if they agree that "the terms and conditions of leases and licences should be respected," and "fair compensation for unavoidable disruption of commercial interests should be ensured." This is a basic principle, but one that the previous government violated, resulting in litigation and costs to taxpayers. A "yes" vote will bind government to this principle. The referendum asks British Columbians if they agree that "aboriginal self-government should have the characteristics of local government, with powers delegated from Canada and British Columbia." Again, this principle deals with a fundamental issue. Our government is committed to aboriginal self-government. The issue is, what model of self-government should we take forward in negotiations? The Sechelt First Nations in British Columbia, as well as First Nations in the Yukon, provide examples of delegated self-government arrangements where federal and provincial authority is paramount. The model we propose is democratically accountable to the people under its jurisdiction -- including non-aboriginals. It is equitable, in terms of ensuring all Canadians are treated equally, regardless of where they live. And it is a model for which we are seeking British Columbians' support. Many of the elites say these issues are too difficult for people --and they then go on to show both a profound bias and deep distrust of the public. In fact, the principles address basic issues important to all of us -- issues involving land use, resources, taxation and how we are governed; and issues on which all British Columbians deserve to have their views heard. A similar group of elites tried to tell you how to vote on the 1992 Charlottetown Accord. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now. Others have suggested that this referendum will somehow undermine minority rights. They are either deliberately misleading or woefully misinformed. As the B.C. Supreme Court has made clear, it is not possible for this referendum to violate those rights. Aboriginal rights and title are protected under our Constitution. Many of the groups challenging this initiative publicly supported a referendum for British Columbians on the Nisga'a Treaty -- including The Globe and Mail editorial board, in 1998. British Columbians deserved a say on these issues four years ago -- and they still do. Our government is committed to negotiating workable, affordable settlements that provide certainty, finality and equality. The referendum is an opportunity for all of us to understand our constitutional obligations to aboriginal people, and discuss how we can move forward with settlements in a way that has public trust and confidence -- to help fast-track treaty negotiations, and forge a new relationship with First Nations. Fundamentally, the referendum is about seeking and honouring the will of the people. It is British Columbia's first provincial referendum in over a decade, and one of the most comprehensive in Canada, in terms of presenting a detailed series of public policy questions to be answered individually. It is a precedent-setting exercise in democratic reform and accountability. Clearly, there will be debate about the principles we have put forward and opposition to some of them. We should welcome that debate. That determination of public views is the very point of this initiative. By including the public, we can revitalize negotiations, and build a future that harmonizes the needs of all British Columbians: aboriginal and non-aboriginal alike. Gordon Campbell is Premier of British Columbia. [dot.gif] ________________________________________________________ News | Financial Post | Commentary | Science & Tech | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Diversions | Forums | Weather Careers | Subscriptions | Site Map | Headline Scan | Advertise | Contests | NP Events | Contact Us | User Help Copyright © 2002 National Post Online | Privacy Policy | Corrections National Post Online is a Hollinger / CanWest Publication. [1]