Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It doesn't matter. Maybe I can use a different example. The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council is made up of 14 tribes. They're all one, they all speak the same language, but they move. Sometimes Tseshaht is made up of so many people from Huu-ay-aht, so many people from Kyuquot, and they call themselves Tseshaht.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I believe it's the role of the first nations to come to an accommodation with each other in the disputed territory, whatever that territory is and however many nations are involved in it. That's what we have been attempting to do. Whatever body that is, I believe there should be some way to compel first nations to that set of discussions, and, if necessary, to have some ability to create a binding solution, whether or not it's a binding mediated solution, in my view.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  You don't have to draw lines. What you have to do is find a solution for how you're going to deal with the territory in the disputed areas. In Toquaht in Maa-nulth, what they did was create a joint committee that meets once a year, or more if necessary, to decide what activities will take place in that disputed territory, whether it's fishing, gathering, hunting, or economic development.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  You heard Chief Hall say that there was a resolution going to the summit that may deal with creating another organization. Or if it were done through the treaty commission—all of which is possible—you'd have to come to an agreement with the first nations and the two levels of government.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Four times that we have been involved in. Some of them didn't last long, some of them lasted longer, but we have convened meetings four times.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If I could, I'll just add to that. The two things, and we've been talking to the federal government about them, are resources and the ability to compel nations to come to that table to discuss the issue around overlap and shared territories. It costs a lot of money to bring nations to that table.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  They all have their different nuances. All of them have overlapping issues, shared territory issues. We helped to resolve one on the west coast with Maa-nulth and Tseshaht. They all have those issues, but each treaty is negotiated separately by those nations that do the negotiations, so there are some things that are the same, and some things that are very different.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  They've been stepping back for 20 years.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Is that with the ones that have been done?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Maybe I can just add to that. The treaty commission doesn't have the authority to draw lines on the map, nor should we. It's not our role in life, although we are involved at this point in time in working with nations throughout British Columbia in trying to find mediated settlements to those disputed territory issues.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  This is still a long way from a conclusion, but I think it has showed promise. But regardless of whether a new organization is set up to deal with overlap and shared territory disputes, somewhere in the parameters there has to be, in my view, something that brings a final and binding conclusion to the issue.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Sophie. I don't know that I can add a lot to it, but there's no doubt that Vince Ready, who is probably one of the most prominent mediators in British Columbia, booked out, saying that the two sides were too far apart in the resolution of the issue. As you heard this morning, the issue is very clear.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm not sure, but three of Maa-nulth have already joined the regional list.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think the best example is that of Maa-nulth and Tseshaht. They both claimed territory in Barkley Sound and the Broken Group on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Maa-nulth had passed their treaty and there was a year and a half until the implementation date. It was so bad that the two chiefs would be in the same room but wouldn't talk to each other.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We have a problem with British Columbia. Canada has been negotiating with the Acho Dene Koe. The last time I talked to anyone up there they were getting close to an agreement, actually, in the Northwest Territories. They had agreed at the time that they would wait until they were finished in that area before they started talking to British Columbia.