March 4, 2015

Andrew Weaver
Green Party of BC
219-3930 Shelbourne St.
Victoria BC
V8P 5P6
Re: CBC Story March 4 2015
She:kon Andrew
I would like to call your attention to your interview and the story carried CBC
British Columbias website. I would like a clarification of your views on
Indigenous Sovereignty, Inherent Rights, Treaty Rights, and the duty to
consult.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/andrew-weaver-calls-forchanges-to-grizzly-bear-hunting-in-b-c-1.2980523#commentwrapper
In the interview I noticed there were no references at all to First Nations. I
was surprised to be quite frank. Since BC is almost exclusively on First
Nations land that has never been ceded or surrendered, there really can be
no discussion about wildlife, conservation who can hunt, who cannot hunt,
without consultation and free and prior consent from the First Nations that
would be involved by virtue of their pre-existing title to the land.
Have you consulted in the development of this legislation with First Nations?
Did the discussion include grassroots input or just discussions with Indian Act
chiefs?
The interview credits you with the statement The bill would favour B.C.
residents, according to Weaver, because most of them hunt for sustenance,
not trophies.
Language means everything and what a person says reflects the mental
constructs that shape their reality. With this understanding you can see that
the phrase BC residents, excludes First Nations from the dialogue. Such
exclusion is at the heart of colonial control and oppression.

Indigenous Peoples sovereignty is recognized by the protocols of Indigenous

governance, by the Canadian Constitution, International law and by the
United Nations. Sovereignty is important. The SCC ruling this past summer
on Tsilhqotin v British Columbia should have brought that understanding
home in spades.

To refer to First Nations people as being citizens of any province denies their
sovereignty, their Inherent Rights as Indigenous People and their Treaty
Rights. As a part of the successor state Canada, the terms and conditions of
the Treaty of Niagara apply to the relationship between the Crown (Fed and
Provincial) and the First Nations. I have raised this very issue with the group
Canadians For a New Partnership. I refused to sign their Declaration because
it makes this same mistake of denying Sovereignty, Inherent Rights and
Treaty Rights in the first paragraph of the Declaration Aboriginal and nonAboriginal peoples of this country. This phrase denies sovereignty and
effectively denies Inherent and Treaty rights. We are not of this country but
of our own individual and sovereign Nations
I have also raised this matter with the ex-Prime Ministers individually.
I have not received a reply from any of them including CFNP.
In my work of combating systemic institutional racism and racist
commentary, denial of Indigenous Inherent rights and Treaty rights is the
single most frequent and endemic feature of both policies and legislation. It
is also a primary hot button in racist commentary directed at Indigenous
People. Stemming out of this is denial of sovereignty and any notion of our
right to self-governance. This is consistent in every instance of
Canada/Indigenous relations since the founding of the nation state Canada.
Any actions that feed into these ideas and the institutional ideology that
makes racism systemic in Canada further oppresses Indigenous Nations and
the individuals that comprise these Nations.
I currently reside as a guest in Nuu-Chah-Nulth territory.
These are my opinions only. I am not a leader and I cannot speak for others
without their approval. Nia:wen.
:nen ki' whi

Kim Weaver
Turtle Clan
Mohawk Nation