Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) Chief Willie Sellars accepted an apology from the federal government Sunday, Sept. 10 for the displacement of his nation from their village site in the 1800s.
Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Affairs, Gary Anandasangaree, travelled to Williams Lake First Nation to deliver the apology in person standing outside the WLFN administration building on Quigli Drive.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a historical day, not only for Williams Lake First Nation, but for Canadians,害羞草研究所� Sellars said. 害羞草研究所淒ays like today give us hope. Just thinking about how proud our ancestors would be looking down on us for holding the government accountable and seeing the government step up and stand beside us.害羞草研究所�
Minister Anandasangaree also described it as an 害羞草研究所渉istorical moment,害羞草研究所� and acknowledged his predecessor Minister Marc Miller who he said 害羞草研究所渁dvanced this critical work.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淐anada recognizes that this was an important place for Williams Lake First Nation,害羞草研究所� the minister said of the traditional village lands.
害羞草研究所淭he government of Canada accepts responsibility for this historic injustice and expresses its deepest regret and sincere apology to the people of Williams Lake First Nation for the harms suffered by being unlawfully and wrongfully dispossessed and separated from the village lands.害羞草研究所�
He also delivered the apology in French.
Anandasangaree said the government is appreciative to have reached an agreed settlement with WLF for $135 million and noted with the agreement WLFN will have the option to acquire and seek to add 1,400 acres to their reserve.
The minister recounted how Chief William gave permission to a settler in 1859 to build a cabin and cultivate a garden within the village lands but what happened afterwards corrupted the relationship with Williams Lake First Nation and its village lands.
In June 1861, he said, the federal government ordered that lands be set aside for First Nations, but that did not happen and most of the land was pre-empted by settlers, 害羞草研究所渃ontrary to colonial law,害羞草研究所� and the First Nations were drove off the land.
害羞草研究所淓xcept for a few small parcels, Canada did not protect or provide compensation for any of the lands,害羞草研究所� he said.
WLFN Coun. Chris Wycotte has been part of the specific claim team for 30 years and before the minister delivered the apology Wycotte spoke about his experience.
害羞草研究所淚 think for me, it was a journey that was unexpected. I didn害羞草研究所檛 think I would ever be here saying I played a big role in a claim.害羞草研究所�
Back in 1985, he was an autobody repair guy working in an autobody shop in Williams Lake and he had enough of that and decided to go to school, he recalled.
That venture led him to study history and more specifically the history of his own people.
Eventually he was hired by then Chief Rick Gilbert to work on a specific claim, doing research at the BC Archives in Victoria about traditional land use of Williams Lake First Nation people.
He became confident they could back up their claim and the unlawful pre-emption of lands that First Nations people were using and occupying.
害羞草研究所淚n 1879 Chief William wrote a letter to Victoria about our land being taken and our people suffering and starving.害羞草研究所�
The first tribunal ruled in WLFN害羞草研究所檚 favour, but the federal government appealed and it was overturned, Wycotte said, but when WLFN took it to the Supreme Court of Canada they won.
害羞草研究所淭his claim now is a precedent-setting claim where pre-confederation claims can go to court now,害羞草研究所� Wycotte said. 害羞草研究所淲e kicked the door down on that one.害羞草研究所�
All First Nations across Canada can rely on WLFN害羞草研究所檚 example to take a similar claim to court, he suggested.
Sellars said a community trust will be established with money from the specific claim for future generations to have something to look forward to.
害羞草研究所淭he annual interest that will be generated from the trust will allow us to do whatever we want. There is nothing that is out of the realm of possibility for Williams Lake First Nation.害羞草研究所�
He said the vision will build on the efforts of Chief William when he wrote his letter to the government about the plight of his people.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really hard not to get emotional,害羞草研究所� Sellars said as he acknowledged all the hard work, even from those members who have passed on.
With the apology event taking place just before the third day of the Speaking Our Truth Pow Wow got underway at the Chief William Pow Wow Arbor, Sellars said everyone was going to celebrate.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to be a great day.害羞草研究所�
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