Tsawwassen First Nation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tsawwassen
Tsawwassen Lands
Traditional Tsawwassen tribal territory
First Nation Tsawwassen
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
Location Greater Vancouver
Government
 • Type Band
 • Chief Bryce Williams
 • Affiliation:  Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council
Area[1]
 • Total 2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi)
Population
 • Total 326 estimated
Ethnic groups Coast Salish
Languages North Straits Salish, English
Website Tsawwassen First Nation website

The Tsawwassen First Nation is a First Nations government whose lands are located in the Greater Vancouver area of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, adjacent to the South Arm of the Fraser River and the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and just north of the international boundary with the United States at Point Roberts, Washington.

The Tsawwassen First Nation is a member government of the Naut'sa mawt Tribal Council.

Treaty and land claims negotiations

The Tsawwassen, a Coast Salish people, are one of the few British Columbia First Nations to come to the end of the BC Treaty Process, the others being the Nisga'a, the Temexw Treaty Association and the Lheidl T'enneh First Nation. The treaty deal would have allowed for the expansion of the Roberts Bank Superport and the employment of band members in the expanded facility, but was criticized for being a sell-out, as the negotiated settlement included an abandonment of all aboriginal rights. The treaty deal was voted down in March 2007 by band members, as was also the case with the Temexw and Lheidli T'enneh treaties.

In July 2007 the nation voted in favour of a new package, more than doubling the size of the Tsawwassen reserve by 400 hectares, offering a cash settlement of $16 million and $36 million in program funding, and reserving a portion of the Fraser River salmon catch to the Tsawwassen. In return, the Tsawwassen will abandon other land claims and will eventually pay taxes.[2]

In January 2012, a "mega-mall" project was approved by the Tsawwassen First Nation, with 43 percent of the eligible voters taking part. Of that 43 percent who voted, 97 percent were in favor of the project. The mall is expected to create jobs and stimulate tourism for the community. According to former Tsawwassen Chief Kim Baird, the mall could be open by 2015.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Factbook". Retrieved 2007-07-06. "We are the people of the Tsawwassen First Nation. Our 290-hectare (717 acre) reserve is located at Roberts Bank in Delta, on the southern Strait of Georgia near the Canada – U.S. border." 
  2. ↑ . Toronto http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070725.BC-treaty-no26/BNStory/National/home.  Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.