VICTORIA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation's (CTF) Centre for Aboriginal Policy Change today reacted to the unveiling of a draft agreement-in-principle (AIP) with the Prince George area Lheidli T'enneh native band.

"Under this agreement the 300 member Lheidli T'enneh native band will receive $12.8 million in cash and an additional 3,360 hectares of land," stated Tanis Fiss, director, Centre for Aboriginal Policy Change.

If the draft agreement-in-principle is accepted by the Lheidli T'enneh band members, they will no longer be exempt from paying federal or provincial taxation. "Under this agreement the tax exemption provided for under section 87 of the Indian Act will no longer apply. Although the details have yet to be finalized it is likely the transitional period will be similar to that of the Nisga'a Treaty," stated Fiss.

The AIP indicates Canada and the Lheidli T'enneh band will enter into a Harvest Agreement outside the treaty to enable the band to harvest and sell an average of 7,500 sockeye salmon per year. "This side deal with the federal government will create a race-based fishery and continue to introduce racial tensions into an industry where few existed and where natives already had a history of success," said Fiss.

The Lheidli T'enneh will have a democratically-elected government and provide for at least one elected representative from non-Lheidli T'enneh citizens residing on treaty lands. "The Centre for Aboriginal Policy Change is pleased with this provision and has long advocated for this provision to be applied to all native communities that tax their residents. After all, when non-natives living on reserves pay taxes to their local native bands they should have a say in their local community government," concluded Fiss.

Before the agreement-in-principle can be finalized, and the terms and conditions of a finalized treaty drafted, the members of the Lheidli T'enneh native band must vote on whether or not to ratify the AIP in a referendum. Since the BC treaty negotiation process began over 10 years ago, no band has voted to ratify a draft agreement-in-principle.