By Greg Fry

Shuswap Nation Tribal Council demands Crown suspend ratification of treaty with Lheidli T’enneh

May 11, 2018 | 2:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — Not so fast.

That’s the sentiment behind the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council’s (SNTC) stated opposition to the decision of the federal and provincial governments’ intentions to finalize the treaty process with the Lheidli T’enneh Nation of northern B.C.

The SNTC says the agremeent “wrongly encroaches upon Secwepemc territory” and asks the Crown to suspend the ratification of the treaty until its concerns are “properly and meaningfully addressed on a Nation-to-Nation level.”

“The ratification of this treaty violates several principals created by the Canadian Department of Justice including principles 2, 5, 6, & 7, whereby the Crown is agreeing to extinguish inherent Secwepemc title & rights without their free, prior and informed consent,” said Tribal Chief Wayne Christian.

Communities in question with this agreement are located in the Robson Valley and south through Valemount — areas located in the Simpcw First Nation. That First Nation voiced their opposition earlier this week. See that story by clicking here.

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Christian added his people aren’t interested in giving up an area they protected with their blood.

“The ancestors of the present day Lheidli T’enneh were defeated in war — there is no shared area — this is Secwepemcul’ecw forever and ever.”