FIRST NATIONS CONSIDERATIONS
Our group understands that the E & N lands are largely unceded territories of the First Nations and yet are lands over which the provincial and federal governments assert jurisdiction and management authority. These lands are traditional territories subject to Indigenous legal orders and responsibilities held by First Nations and their members. The use and management of those lands as between First Nations and state governments is largely unresolved.
We may be interested in accessing lands that First Nations have regained authority over, if we are welcomed to do so.
Please consult the following for more information:
1) The Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA – BC law 2019) is the Province’s framework for reconciliation, as called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s “Calls to Action”.
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
2) This Vancouver Sun article is a short study of traditional land acknowledgements:
Unceded: Why we acknowledge, or don’t, that B.C. First Nations never signed away land | Vancouver Sun
SMALL PRIVATELY OWNED LAND PLOTS within the E & N land boundaries
We are also not interested in accessing these lands. We are only interested in the larger land masses currently owned by our governments, in which we find boundless recreation opportunities for the public to enjoy.