I'm here representing the Wet'suwet'en. As I said, we have a unique position in British Columbia. I've heard that within B.C. only three nations have an intact traditional governance system. That means they have been practising their governance since before contact, and continued to practise their governance throughout the potlatch ban, when Canada made it illegal for them to practise. The Wet'suwet'en are one of those nations. We still practise our bathlats or our potlatches, our feast system, to this day. I have a bathlat this weekend with my clan.
I think that historically and currently our governance system hasn't been affirmed by this government. Places like the Witsuwit'en Language and Culture Society haven't been able to apply for language funding. We've been denied federal funding because we aren't recognized as representing the nation, and only reserves are recognized. We would like to see the wording around that changed so it's fair to nations like ours that aren't dependent on the chief and council band system.