Gitxsan Chiefs LTFA News release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 5, 2012

Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs speak with one voice: Province of BC must recognize our laws and negotiate Long Term Forestry Agreement so we can create a sustainable economy.

Smithers BC – the head simgiigyet (chiefs) of the 65 huwilp (houses) of the Gitxsan people called on the provincial government today to recognize our Ayookw (laws) and negotiate the Long Term Forestry Agreement (LTFA).

In a recent letter to the chiefs regarding negotiations of the LTFA, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs called into question who speaks for the chiefs, citing the judge's comments in the Spookw litigation about the status of the Gitxsan Treaty Society. The simgiigyet wish it to be known unequivocally they are the decision makers for the Gitxsan people, not the GTS. Any agreement must be made with them and there is no question they are the correct political representatives as determined by thousands of years of Gitxsan Ayookw. The hereditary chiefs publicly signed a letter today to be delivered to Premier Christy Clark.

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