1977-1984: Canada Declares Ready

The November 1977 visit by the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs to the Gitxsan village of Anspayaxw (Kispiox) marks the beginning of a modern period of negotiating the relationship between Gitxsan governing systems and federal/provincial governance. Gitxsan-Carrier (Wet’suwet’en) Tribal Council president Ray Jones welcomes the message that Canada is ready to negotiate on land claims and presents the chiefs’ declaration of readiness. At the event, Canadian government representatives are presented with the 1977 map of the 58,000 square kilometres of traditional Gitxsan and Carrier territories in northwest British Columbia, Canada.

Seven years later, on Oct. 24, 1984, Gitxsan chiefs file a claim for ownership, jurisdiction and self-government over their traditional territories after the Canadian government’s refusal to negotiate on the land question and engage in negotiations on governance.

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