The Tsilhqot’in people share their guiding vision

It has been four years since the historic Tsilhqot’in Nation judgment, in which the Supreme Court of Canada declared that Aboriginal title exists over an area of B.C. occupied for thousands of years by our Tsilhqot’in people.

Four years later, we continue to govern our recognized Aboriginal title land, guided by our culture, our laws and our long connection to the land.

When we walk the title land and beyond, we are reminded of our ancestors’ occupation. We see old pit-house sites with trees a century old growing from the floor. Ts’eman (salmon) spawn along the river banks, providing sustenance to the local nunitsiny (grizzly bear) population and dagsh (eagles) overhead.

Our people carry a sacred duty to be stewards of our land and protect the very things that we depend on for survival. This vision is what guides our people as we exercise our title over these lands after a long history of denial. We aspire to govern with a spirit of collaboration.

We applaud all levels of government, local businesses and residents that support and work with us as we exercise our title and take steps to bring our vision for these lands to reality.

In collaboration with — and out of respect for — the province of B.C., we have entered into several “bridging agreements” to keep recreation sites and parks in the title area open to the public, and to authorize local residents and businesses to continue their livelihoods on title lands — trappers and guide-outfitters, ranchers, tourism operators and others.

We are developing bear-viewing and boating guidelines with input from the province and local residents, in order to protect critical salmon-spawning grounds and feeding grounds of our grizzly bear.

We appreciate the patience of nonTsilhqot’in residents and our own Tsilhqot’in citizens as we take on this challenging but exciting work.

This process takes time. With very little capacity or resources, we are working to express our laws and values while balancing many interests, and trying to be respectful to all.

Substantial and meaningful progress takes time. Our own people want change. Four years later, and we still see our moose population in steady decline. Four years later, and we still have elders packing water from the lake to their homes. Four years later and tuberculosis is still an issue that school children are tested for annually.

As the prime minister of Canada prepares to visit our Aboriginal title land this fall, we invite all people to join us on this journey and work with us to demonstrate leadership not only to the world, but to our children — our future.