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Gitxsan Treaty Office
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Thurs., Sept. 9, 1999
11:00 a.m.
Gitxsan going to court over timber rights
Summary of document:
Hazelton, Gitxsan Territories—Gitxsan leaders announced today they will return to court Sept. 22 over a timber harvesting dispute with the provincial government in a case that applies the test for aboriginal title as set out by the Delgamuukw Supreme Court of Canada decision.
“We are not trying to stop the white man from harvesting the tree but we don’t want the province to stop us from using the tree for Gitxsan interests,” said Gitxsan legal team coordinator Anuthlem buhn (Gordon Sebastian). “This case is similar to what the Westbank Indian Band are doign in that we have run out of patience negotiating with the province over what our interest is in the trees. The Supreme Court of Canda told BC to negotiate with us but its been close to two years since the Delgamuukw decision and the province hasn’t come up with anything.”...
The Gitxsan are also involved in bilateral discussions with the province in an agreement signed in the fall of 1998. That agreement identified Bear Lake as a special topic for negotiation, but little progress has been made…
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