Mr. Speaker, there are a number of reasons why this will not be a final agreement, but let me focus on one, the competing claims.
Eight bands have filed with the B.C. Treaty Commission with claims which overlap Tsawwassen. Two bands have not filed any treaty documents, but they also have claims on that territory. This poses a serious problem. In the treaty document it says that if any concessions are made to these bands, and eventually there will be because these bands will conclude treaties as did Tsawwassen, I am sure, the Tsawwassen will be entitled to compensation. There is no defining what that compensation means There are no limits put on it in the treaty, so it is an open-ended compensation. That in itself is troublesome.
The other implications are that with these overlapping treaties, the bands have this right to consult built into the treaty. We assume other bands will have the same and they can impact on developments in municipalities that municipalities thought were their purview. Now we will have this overlaying number of bands that will be able to ask to be consulted over matters that should be municipal.
I think the treaty will be very troublesome for local municipalities and it is one that I do not think the municipalities have really come to grips with yet.