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Park society states position

LETTERS

 

Editor:

I am pleased that the Sechelt Indian Band (SIB) will hold a public meeting this month to discuss plan to build a longhouse in Francis Point Park, as reported in the Jan. 9 edition of Coast Reporter.

I will be away so I would like to say a few words here on behalf of the group that saved the park and still watches over it.

We respect the Sechelt Nation’s spiritual ties to all of their traditional territory, Francis Point included, but in the interests of frankness, we feel the SIB should be up front about the purpose of the longhouse program.

Under the recent Tsilhqot’in decision, the SIB has an opportunity to secure full ownership of all their traditional lands from Roberts Creek to the head of Jervis Inlet, but only if they can prove they  have made continuous use of these resources from ancient times to the present. The main reason for placing these small pre-fab structures throughout the claim area is to establish physical evidence the band is using the land. Chief Craigan admits the band thought Francis Point Park was Crown owned when they started erecting a structure there, and was surprised to find it is privately owned by the Nature Trust of BC and only leased to BC Parks. This is important because the Band has always said it has no intention of interfering with private property.

That the SIB wants to push ahead anyway raises questions about the promise not to encroach on private land and is of concern to private landowners.

BC Parks has written a letter formally asking the Band to remove the structure and our board agrees this would be best for all involved.

Howard White, president, Francis Point Marine Park Society