While the shíshálh Nation celebrates the 30th anniversary of self-government this month, Chief Calvin Craigan is looking forward to the next agreement he plans to pen for the Nation.
“The 30 years of self-governance is a great opportunity to look at where we’re going in our future, where did we come from in the past and how do we combine those things as we go forward, as we gain self-reliance, as we gain jurisdiction,” Craigan said.
He is seeking more land and more revenue-sharing opportunities for the Nation through a new reconciliation agreement.
The Nation signed a preliminary reconciliation agreement with the province in July that will see them get about 288 hectares of Crown land, a share of provincial forestry revenue up to $484,137 per year and $100,000 in capacity funding.
But that agreement was just the beginning, Craigan said, hinting that another reconciliation deal will soon be on the table.
“[Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John] Rustad, at our last meeting two weeks ago, he commented to me that there are three First Nations that are going to go forward with a reconciliation agreement,” Craigan said.
“He stated to me that because Sechelt has been preparing, not only preparing their people but preparing the entire community for this transaction to happen, that Sechelt will go ahead because of the 30 years of self-governance. Because we were in a municipal state. We were acting and performing as a municipal government and that puts us far ahead of any other First Nation because of it.”
Ultimately the chief wants to see all of the Nation’s traditional lands returned to them through reconciliation or the courts.
“We did hold on to this territory and we still do,” Craigan noted.
“We are going to be accepting jurisdiction and governance once again that was taken away from us. What was taken away from us was a way of life, a way of life that we’re going to return to our people.”
Craigan hopes to have a new reconciliation agreement signed before his term as chief ends in March of next year.
