Dressed in his traditional costume, a Nisga’a hereditary chief celebrates the fin-
al signing of the Nisga’a agreement in Gitwinksinlkw, May 12.

From front
Nisga’a
get land,
power,
money

-late James Gosnell, who
shook B.C. two decades
ago with his declaration
thal aboriginal people
owned the pravince “lock
stock and barrel.”

“Weill, we didn’t get
that,” she said. “If you
look around you’ll see that
the mountains are bare.”

“This is a bittersweet
ceremony,” Nyce added.
“I have 27 grandchildren
and six great-grandchildren
and I see a hard future for
them.”

Nyce said she and
others hoped for a cash
settlement for every
Nisga’a. -

“It:didn’t work out that
way,” she said. “The way I
see it is that the Depart-
ment of Indian Affairs has
just been transferred to this
new government.”

“Instead of having to
ask that. Department of In-
dian Affairs everything, we
have to ask the new gov-
ernment, just like we did
in the past.”

Government officials on
hand: included premier
Ujjal. Dosanjh and cabinet
ministers Dan Miller, Dale
Lovick, Jan Pullinger.

“Let me welcome you
as equals into British Co-
lumbia,” Dosanjh said.

“Let me say this loudly
for alt British Columbians
to hear,” he said, aiming
at treaty critics. “This
treaty is: about justice,”

“The: suffocating weight .

and shackles of the Indian
Act are gone and gone
forever.”

Federal Indian Affairs
minister Robert Nault pre-
sented the Nisga’a with
the Canadian flag that
flew from the Peace Tower
in Ottawa April 73, the
day the treaty became law
after passage by the Se-
nate.

“Today we celebrate
the coming into effect of
B.C.’s first modern treaty
and hopefully many more
ta come,” he said.

Terrace
Talstra, at least half of

city council, and regional
district officials were also

there.

The celebration also.
featured a large contingent :

of officials from the Royal

Bank, which has - been:
chosen by Nisga’a leaders:
to provide many finaricial
services fo. the: new. gov-

ernment.

‘Mayor Jack .

SUMMARY OF CHANGES
AS TREATY TAKES EFFECT

Mi Nisga’a Lisims Government is now in place and.

governing the Nisga’a. Elections are to be held within

six months. For now the legislature-like central govern-

ment, calied Wilp $i Ayuukhl Nisga’a or the Nisga’a
Hause of Laws, will be made up of Nisga’a leaders who
were elected to the tribal council or old band councils.

@ A new government building under construction is to
be complete by July. That’s where the central govern-
ment will sit and where administrative staff will work.

@ The Nisga’a Tribal Council no longer exists. Gos-
nell said the body had fulfilled its mandate of securing a
just and honourable setilement.

Wi The Indian Act no longer governs the Nisga’a. :

Ei The province transferred 1,930 square kilometres of
land in-the Nass valley to the new Nispa'a Nation Thurs-
day. Public access to Nisga’a lands for non-commercial
and recreational purposes is puaranteed,

W@ The Nisga’a Highway remains a provincial high-
way and major work continues towards building it to a
paved standard.

Wi Bear Glacier Park was created.

M Timber on Nisga’a lands is now owned by the
Nisga’a government. A five-year phase-in period is to
ease the transition to Nisga’a-determined harvest levels
and cutting by primarily Nisga’a logging contractors.

 Nisga’a are entitled to hunt moose, mountain goat
and grizzly bear in a designated Nass Wildlife Area,
that covers lands outside of the treaty lands further up
the Nass valley.

Wi The first transfers of money under the treaty to the
new government have taken place. Most of the $9 mil-
lion advanced so far are one-time grants for participation
in the commercial fishery and training assistance. Of the
$190 million treaty settlement, just $1.67 million in ca-
pital transfers have happened so far,

Wi Committees to manage forestry transition, wildlife
and fisheries have been created. :

COUNSELLOR
TRAINING

N ow accepting applications to enroll self
motivated students for a 16 week program

to achieve a certificate of professional
counselling including a course certificate
in residential school abuse.

PROGRAM START DATE: June 5

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this practical skill building program.
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