Backgrounder: The Pre-Confederation Treaties of Vancouver Island - Charting a New Course for Treaty Implementation

Abstract

How should the wrongs of the past be remedied through treaty implementation? What can be learned from the experience in Washington State with tribal fishing rights under the Stevens Treaties of 1854 and 1855? Has the specific claims process aided or hindered the task of redressing past wrongs? How does the legacy of denial and neglect of Douglas Treaty rights affect current efforts to chart a new course for treaty implementation? What does a new course for treaty implementation entail (for First Nations or the Crown) and what are the main obstacles or challenges in achieving it? What are the implications of treaty implementation for citizens, local governments, businesses, and proposed land and resource development?