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Almost Done Deal?...bye bye ALR lands?
It appears as though the Tsawwassen First Nation Treaty is all but done. As the < a href="http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=507c6d05-ccf8-4473-beec-65af06e737c7&k=1184">VANCOUVER SUN notes, on August 24 negotiators rose and shook hands around the negotiating table.
The deal will be ratified by provincial and federal cabinets in the coming months and the Tsawwassen First Nation will be free to enjoy the fruits of the first negotiated "urban treaty" in Canada.
This is an historic event for the TFN. The deal breaker for the TFN was the insistence that Crown Lands currently in the ALR, be removed and rezoned. How this re-zoning takes place is yet to be seen but will likely be pushed through at the Cabinet Level of the Provincial Government.
Like so many pieces to a very large and complex puzzle, the removal of these lands and subsequent re-zoning to commercial/industrial will be a true test for the community.
ALR lands are a serious issue and the commission that currently investigates proposals for removal have come under fire of late. Since it would appear that they will not be involved in this particular instance and that the Premier and cabinet will approve the removal solely, a political firestorm may be on the horizon in the near future.
How will it pan out? Some in our community will be resentful. They will argue that the removal of ALR lands will take away some of our ability to sustain ourselves by growing our own food.
The lands in question are not being used productively for this currently.
The larger issue will be the deal that the TFN will negotiate with the Federal Government and the < a href="http://www.portvancouver.com/the_port/faq.html">VANCOUVER PORT AUTHORITY to use this land for activities associated with Port expansion in the form of the "Third Birth" firstly and the "Terminal Two" addition down the road.
There are many local groups that have fought long and hard against Port Expansion but it would seem that the impending TFN treaty deal will make all of their efforts to halt expansion fruitless.
There seems little chance that the Provincial or Federal Governments would even consider changing their minds on this one in light of the larger "Gateway" plans.
Will there be resentment in our community and elsewhere on this deal? You bet....wait and watch.
Before you make your call, make sure you read the FACTS
Let's hear some commentary on this so our TFN neighbors and elected officials can see how we feel.
The poll on the removal of ALR land is showing 56% approval. What do you think?
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The Richmond deal does not have near the importance of the Delta deal. The TFN treaty, as the first "Urban Treaty' that has gone this far, has broad significance on several levels. Firstly, the Federal Government has an opportunity to make ammends for the thumbs down it gave to the Kelowna accord and they will not want to see this one get away nor will the Provincial Liberals.
Secondly, the Port Expansion is of National Interest in that it is vital to us maintaining our trade edge on the Pacific Rim.
The Musqueaum band is not nearly as close their Urban deal so optically the ALC looks good in turning this one down as a small price to pay for the larger benefit which is the treaty with the TFN and the subsequent land deal with the TFN and the Vancouver port Authority for these lands.
The recent decision on the former DoD lands in< a href=" http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060913.BCRESERVE13/TPStory/National">THE GLOBE AND MAIL
also tied into a First Nations process is very relevant here. It is by no means a done deal if the ALC stick to their guns!
How can we attempt to deal with all of the treaty demands in a society that has evoved past the point of issues such as "right to fish"?
I'm sure my great ancestors who are not "indigenous peoples" would have enjoyed a "right to hunt" today.....but they are not.
I want the First Nations to have a better way of life for their children and grandchildren. We have to be careful. Good luck everyone!
Personally, I am excited for the TFN and I am excited about business opportunities in South Delta that may arise as a result of the deal.
Although the removal of ALR lands is contentious these particular lands will be scrutinized if they are to be used in any part of further port expansion.
There are environmental guidelines that are in place and it would be foolish to think that the uptmost care and attention for the use of these lands would not be considered.
I do not think for one second that the TFN would allow degredation of their "homelands". They want opportunity and they will get it.
I firmly believe this deal will set the model for other First Nation Treaty's across the country that will benefit all Canadians.
We should be proud that we have been able to reach stage 5 and move on to stage 6.
Well done everyone!
Of all the removals of land from the ALR reserves, why is this one sparking such contraversy?
Where were all the protesters when golf courses, religious institutions, industry, and housing were and appear to continue to be allowed to apply and succeed with removal of large sections of agricultural land from the reserves.
I was recently reminded by a friend about the protest and shouts of alarm when Ambleside in West Vancouver was "bargained away" to the native band. None of the worst-case scenerios materialized. The Band made very little changes to that piece of land! I still visit the park and take visitors to Vancouver to walk there...
Get a grip folks and work cooperatively with the Band neighbours. They are not the government thugs who build the transmission lines against your wishes!
Of all the removals, this one as a result of a treaty deal is defensible. Whose land was it in the first place?
If you are unsure as to how the process has evolved you should take a look at the BC Treaty Commissions "Six Stage Process' HERE
Don't be so sure. This community has shown some tremendous resolve over the years. Remember the Southlands lat time around?
I am skeptical I must admit.
This treaty seems contrived and manipulated so that the end winner is actually the Federal Government.
Yes, the TFN will gain monetarily in the short term and will be likely landlords of commercially profitable lands but I can't help but wonder if there some aspect of the deal that we don't know about.
After all, it is the culture of distrust that has seperated politicians and Firts Nations peoples and the rest of us for so long anyway.
I am of the view that this needs top happen. I am supportive of the treaty.
I plan to live here for a long time and I want to make sure that all of my community people will be working together to help us collectively succeeed.
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