Te'mexw Treaty Association
Member Bands
Beecher Bay Indian Band (Scia'new First Nation)
Location
: On Beecher Bay, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Main community is on Beecher Bay Indian Reserve #1, in East Sooke, 30 km southwest of Victoria. (Eight reserves on 307.7 hectares.)
Number of Band Members
: 230 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence May 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)
Malahat First Nation
Location
: On the western shore of Saanich Inlet, south of Mill Bay and approximately 30 km north of Victoria. (Two reserves on 241.9 hectares.)
Number of Band Members
: 256 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence May 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)
Nanoose First Nation (Snaw-naw-AS First Nation)
Location
: On the east coast of Vancouver Island, adjacent to Lantzville, approximately 10 km north of Nanaimo. (One reserve on 53.4 hectares.)
Number of Band Members
: 217 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence May 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)
Songhees First Nation
Location
: On Esquimalt Harbour, in Victoria. Main community is on New Songhees Indian Reserve #1A. (Three reserves on 137.8 hectares.)
Number of Band Members
: 473 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence May 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)
T'sou-ke First Nation
Location
: Near Sooke, approximately 30 km southwest of Victoria, at the southern end of Vancouver Island. (Two reserves on 67.2 hectares.)
Number of Band Members
: 215 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence May 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)
Background
Negotiating status
: Negotiating a comprehensive treaty settlement within the
British Columbia Treaty Commission six-stage treaty process.
Negotiating affiliation
: Negotiating with Canada and British Columbia on behalf of its five member bands. None of the members of the treaty group are affiliated with a tribal council.
Location
: Member bands are located on southern Vancouver Island.
Total Band Members
: 1,391 (Source: Registered Indian Population by Sex and Residence May 2007, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)
Negotiations
The Te'mexw Treaty Association (TTA) entered the treaty process in July 1995, and is in Stage 4 of the six-stage process, negotiating an agreement in principle.
Work continues on land identification and chapter development.
TTA members are a party to the Douglas Treaties, a series of 14 land purchases from aboriginal people around Victoria, Saanich, Sooke, Nanaimo and Port Hardy, made between 1850 and 1854, by James Douglas, chief factor of Fort Victoria and governor of the colony of Vancouver Island. While the Douglas Treaties addressed land and harvesting rights, the modern comprehensive treaty currently being negotiated between Canada, BC and TTA, deals with a wide range of issues that include governance, land, resources and fiscal matters. TTA negotiations are making steady progress and have successfully resolved a number of difficult issues.
Other Activities
In March 2007, The Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations memberships ratified by a large margin a settlement that resolves a reserve-based specific claim on the site of the British Columbia Legislature in Victoria. The settlement, which was initialed by Canada, BC and the First Nations in November 2006, relates to a lawsuit filed in 2001 which alleged that Canada and British Columbia breached certain duties owed to the First Nations. The claim alleged that the land was originally set aside as an Indian reserve in 1854 by Governor James Douglas, who then took it back for the site of the Legislature without obtaining a surrender of the reserve. The First Nations are now awaiting ratification by the Government of Canada so the agreement can come into effect. Once ratified, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations will equally share a financial settlement of $31.5 million and can purchase land out of the settlement funds.
In May 2006, Songhees First Nation received a $341,800 major capital grant from the provincial government to create 33 new quality child care spaces for Aboriginal families. The funding was also used for the construction of an addition to an existing child care centre.
In November 2005, Songhees First Nation and the Government of Canada signed a Settlement Agreement respecting a specific claim of 1.13 acres of land. The agreement includes the land and $1,240,000 in compensation.
In July 2005, Songhees and Esquimalt Nations and several off-reserve aboriginal groups signed an education enhancement agreement with the Province to improve aboriginal student achievement, and increase awareness of aboriginal languages and culture in the Victoria School District.
In April of 2005, the BC Government and Qualicum School District signed an aboriginal enhancement agreement that allows the Nanoose and Qualicum First Nations culture to be reflected in public schools by accepting Aboriginal involvement in the design of programs, services and curriculum delivery.
Planned meetings
As dates are established for open public meetings, they will be publicized through the local media and on the British Columbia Treaty Commission Website Negotiations Calendar.
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Final Agreements
Principle
