By Haley Grinder
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty Council had their treaty negotiations process suspended on Thursday, Oct. 21. The council was initially created by and for citizens of the Ktunaxa Nation to negotiate a treaty with both the provincial and federal government. The treaty would define and uphold the rights, relationships and responsibilities between Ktunaxa Nation and respective governments. Such topics at hand were: lands and resources, language and translation, archives and repatriation, traditional-use and cultural studies, and elders advisory committees, to name a few.
he Nasu?kins of the four Ktunaxa Nation governments representing the communities of Yaq? it ?a·knuq?i?it (Tobacco Plains), ?akisq?nuk First Nation, Yaqan Nu?kiy (Lower Kootenay) and ?aq?am, approved the suspension, although the duration of which is still unknown.
This suspension will be in place until the Ktunaxa governments can determine their approach to achieving self-government, now that the context has changed significantly,” says the Ktunaxa Nation Council in a public statement. “With legislation now in place acknowledging the rights of Indigenous peoples, the Nasu?kins agree that this decision will provide the necessary time and space to hear from the Ktunaxa governments’ people, and to undertake a restructuring of this important work for and with Ktunaxa citizens.”
While some believe that the progress made from these negotiations has ultimately plateaued, council also shared that “the hope is to continue that work in a way that respects and honours the needs and vision of Ktunaxa citizens for the future, while honouring the work that has been done in past.”
