"We
are fundamentally opposed to this new model of self-government
that's proposed in this treaty, because it too will divide
British Columbians along ethnic lines. It will give the
Nisga'a government special new rights and status under the
constitution."
Gordon Campbell, December 7, 1998
Many
of the objections
to the tentative treaty with the Tsawwassen First Nation
that have been raised by Delta Mayor Lois Jackson and Conservative
MP John Cummins echo the words of Gordon Campbell when he
was leader of the opposition. It is hard to say whether
those who object to key elements of modern treaties have
as much of a constituency in 2006 as they did in the late
90s; there is no credible provincial political party today
that will champion those views as Campbell once did.
It is
possible that Campbell lost the 1996 provincial election
because of the 9% of the popular vote that was captured
by the BC Reform Party. In October 1997 Campbell succeeded
in convincing Richard Neufeld to abandon the BC Reform Party
and become a BC Liberal. By the time of the 2001 election,
Jack Weisgerber, once leader of the BC Reform Party, also
endorsed Campbell's Liberals (he has since been appointed
to the Board of BC Hydro and to the BC Treaty Commission).
It is unlikely that the Liberals could have found a way
to lose the 2001 election, but just to be doubly sure of
victory it consolidated the right wing vote. It is possible
that Campbell's rants against the Nisga'a treaty were merely
a tactic to consolidate the right, rather than deeply held
beliefs that have since been rejected. As Premier, Campbell
is now free to do what is necessary to achieve treaty settlements
without having to worry that a new version of his old self
will emerge to fracture his coalition. The discipline required
to cling to power will assure that any whispers of support
for the sentiments expressed by Jackson and Cummins will
be kept behind closed caucus doors. Treaty negotiations
have been eliminated as an issue that differentiates the
NDP and the Liberals thanks to Campbell being able to take
his right wing support for granted.
Scott
Fraser, MLA for Alberni-Qualicum and Opposition critic for
Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation is like the Maytag
Repairman. His page on the Official
Opposition website has links to his news releases on
constituency issues ranging from the Ty Watson Hospice House
which isn't being funded to spraying along the E&N rail
line. No news release on his list touches on the stream
of announcements regarding the initialing of treaties. The
newsroom on the NDP
website is also silent on the issue. Perhaps that is
as it should be. Opposition parties are not in the habit
of congratulating the government when it does something
right, and it might be premature to celebrate anything before
we know whether the First Nations ratify the tentative agreements.
In early 2007, the agreements will be put before the Legislature
for a vote which will require the NDP caucus to go on record
with respect to taking land out of the agricultural land
reserve for the Tsawwassen settlement. The Campbell caucus
might be looking forward to that moment with glee, but it
may be disappointed when it realizes that it has succeeded
in making treaties a nonpartisan issue. They probably wish
they could do the same thing for child protection which
all too often involves the First Nations.
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