Gixtsan: Treaty’s Board of Directors ordered blockade removal

Finger Pointed at the Gitxsan Treaty Office Board of Directors

Recently the former Executive Director of the Gitxsan Treaty Society (GTS) claimed that the injunction to remove the blockade in front of the Gitxsan Chiefs Office set up by the Gitxsan Unity Movement was ordered by him at the direction of the GTS board of Directors.

The injunction was filed less than 48 hours after the Gitxsan Chiefs ordered the building shut down and put on a 24 hour 7 day a week watch. The Gitxsan Unity Movement have been attending to the Chiefs wishes for almost 6 months and it appears they have no intentions of of removing this blockade until the Gitxsan Crises is resolved.

On Sunday, December 4th, 2011, three of the Gitxsan Clans held separate meetings in three locations to voice their concerns and consider their future action in regards to the announcement of the signing of an agreement between the Gitxsan and Enbridge. The Gitxsan Unity Movement began as Gitxsan Against Enbridge in early December 2011. The goal of the movement is to bring harmony between the Gitxsan Government and the values, law and will of the Gitxsan.

Gitxsan leaders are expected to consult and cooperate in good faith with the Gitxsan’s people’s concerns through our own representative institutions in order to obtain free, prior, and informed consent before adopting or implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them.

The Gitxsan people have since shut down the Enbridge deal but have lost faith in the GTS entity and have now called for further measures from the Gitxsan Chiefs to take action. To which has mostly fell on deaf ears of the Chiefs who are in support of the GTS. There is still hope that the High Chiefs of our Nation will sit down and talk about resolutions to this crises, even at the beckoning of Assembly of First Nation’s Grand Chief, Shawn Atleo and Union of BC Indian Chiefs Stewart Phillips.

We are now calling on the GTS Board of Directors to step in and hold yourself accountable to the people. We ask you, are you putting our own people in jail?

Board of Directors

Jim Angus Chairperson
Alvin Hyzims
Anita Davis
Darlene Howard
Marge Quock
John Olson (Two Mile)
Sandra Olson (since removed)
Charles Muldon
Linda Williams
Lucille Stoney

BC Supreme Court Justice Mark McEwan had ordered the RCMP to dismantle the blockade and arrest four Gitxsan Chiefs, Delgumuukw, Dawamuukw, Guuhadakw and Uksmukmawil over their involvement of the blockade. The RCMP are using their discretion to see the Gitxsan resolve this issue through Gitxsan Law (Ayookw) rather than through the BC Supreme Court system.

First Nations from across the country and Internationally are watching this unfold. For they realize that the Delgumuukw Court case decision, the pride of the Gitxsan Nation, is at stake here. Gitxsan Law has to be used here to resolve this dispute or it will jeopardize how Aboriginal people do business on their own territories throughout the world!

All of this was decided by a board of directors who possibly are unaware of decisions made on their part. may the GTS Board of Directors hold themselves accountable to their people (pdeek) now.

The Gitxsan Unity Movement is 100% volunteer driven, with the Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs and members working in the best interests of our land, culture and people.