Hi Myrna! Well ... I was searching about the Japanese Beetle here in the Pacific Northwest (We have lots of them here in Coeur d'Alene!) and went to the site for British Columbia... where they say there isn't an infestation in the states below them or there... hmmmm so after sending them an email that we do have them here in Idaho! I saw they had a great page about "The New Relationship with First Nations and Aboriginal People" http://www.newrelationship.gov.bc.ca/I'd heard of the changes going on within the gov't and native peoples in canada... and hoping that would set a precedent for native peoples in our country (usa) .... haven't followed it much since then. Must have been on NPR around 2006 or later... cause the accords that the Canadian gov't enacted were before then from the site: The Transformative Change Accord  In November 2005, the Province, the Federal Government and the First Nations Leadership Council, signed the Transformative Change Accord (TCA). The purpose of the accord is to close the social and economic gaps between First Nations and other British Columbians, reconcile Aboriginal rights and title with those of the Crown, and establish a new relationship based upon mutual respect and recognition.
The principles outlined by the TCA include:
- Acknowledgement and celebration of the diverse histories and traditions of First Nations
- Understanding that a new relationship must be based on mutual respect and responsibility
- Recognition that the agreement is intended to support social and economic well-being of First Nations people
"This tri-partite agreement stands as a binding declaration of our mutual resolve to act upon the vision and commitment of all first ministers and national Aboriginal leaders, as set out in the Kelowna agreement. That TCA was the product of an unprecedented government-to-government collaboration. More importantly, it is 'a shared commitment to action by all parties'—including the Government of Canada—that speaks to 'a 10-year dedicated effort to improve the quality of life of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada."
-Premier Gordon Campbell
May 2006 Have a wonderful week! Beth |