Dec. 15, 2016 was historic for the four member communities of the Northern Shuswap.
After nearly two years of waiting since the work on the Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw (NStQ) Agreement-in-Principle (AiP) was completed, the NStQ treaty negotiator and entire treaty team is optimistic and encouraged with the initialing of the AiP by representatives of Canada, British Columbia and the NStQ.
The four Northern Shuswap First Nations of the NStQ Treaty Group, through the auspices of the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council, have been negotiating a modern-day treaty with the governments of British Columbia and Canada since 1993.
After the completion of the AiP, a referendum was held in each of the four NStQ communities in February and April of this year, with a narrow membership majority positively voting to move forward into Final Negotiations (Stage Five) of the six-stage treaty process, which now continues into its 24th year.
The four communities which make up the NStQ are: Canim Lake Indian Band (Tsq'escen' First Nation), Soda Creek Indian Band (Xat'sull First Nation), Williams Lake Indian Band (T'exelc First Nation), and Canoe Creek/Dog Creek Indian Band (Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation).