Sechelt to enter land claim talks

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Officials with the Sechelt Indian Band, federal and provincial governments put their initials to a framework agreement that will serve as a guide to upcoming land claim negotiations.

The framework agreement was signed recently in Victoria by chief negotiators from all three governments, including Chief Garry Feschuk of the Sechelt band.

The signing marks the official entrance of the Sechelt band into the realm of land claim negotiations and wrapped up the two-day conference.

"It feels good but it's just the beginning of the process," said Tom Paul, a former Sechelt chief, now administering band land claims.

The meeting marked the fourth round of discussions the band has held with both the federal and B.C. governments since agreeing to negotiate their land claim under the B.C. Treaty Commission earlier in 1994.

And frustrations among the parties were evident

According to Paul, a disagreement early in the meeting over the wording of an "openness" clause in the framework on the part of the federal and provincial governments threatened to disrupt the signing of the framework agreement until the new year.

But an 11th-hour decision, the two governments were able to find a solution to the issue and move ahead.

The openness clause determines who can sit in on the negotiating meetings, how the public will be informed and which documents will be publicly available.

Sechelt band council members have long stated they have nothing to hide in reference to the band's land claim, adding they felt it is not their obligation to inform third-party interests.

Meanwhile, a failure to define the length of the impending negotiations also negatively affected last week's meeting.

Paul said the band has repeatedly asked how long the negotiation process is estimated to last, but has not yet received a definite answer. They've been told to expect somewhere between six to 18 months, he said.

"That's frustrating but we're finally seeing how the process works," Paul said.

In an earlier interview, chief federal negotiator Robin Dodson said both the federal and provincial governments have anticipated some difficulty in satisfying the Sechelt band in terms of time it will take to complete negotiations.

Because the band is self-governing and already has its land claims well planned out, it's ready to start negotiations immediately, Dodson said.

"They're ready to stretch the treaty commission process to the limit."

Dodson said the major aim of the negotiations is to remove uncertainty all three governments - as well as the public - may currently feel regarding jurisdiction of land and resources under the Sechelt land claim.

The Sechelt band is seeking title to its tradition territory as defined under its land claims document - an area of 7,840 square kilometres on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia.