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Summary of document:
First-come, first-serve policy disrupts native negotiating table
Doug Donaldson
Communications Director
Gitxsan Treaty Office
British Columbia’s most recent treaty deal was born only a couple of weeks ago, but it now appears the province is using a centuries old tactic to settle land and rights issues with First Nations. It’s the divide-and-conquer strategy.
The NDP government’s “first come, first served” approach when it comes to treaty lands subject to overlapping claims is designed to weaken First Nations by pitting them against one another…
…During December and January treaty negotiating sessions, the Gitxsan gave B.C. a list of questions they wanted answered on the province’s land-selection model and the “first come, first served” issue. Provincial negotiators said they would respond to the questions in writing at some point in the future.
The response was a Feb. 1 letter from John Cashore, the minister of aboriginal affairs, intimating the Gitxsan were not negotiating in good faith and saying the province was walking away from the treaty table…
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