VERNON, B.C. – Ranchers’ rights and native rights may clash if things don’t go smoothly in upcoming land claim negotiations.
Joe Gardner, manager of the Douglas Lake Ranch which was blockaded by the Upper Nicola band at the end of May, said the ranch has been drawn into a situation that is out of its control.
The band says the blockade is about native rights to fish and cross public lands. Gardner says he recognizes band rights, but there are other considerations.
“I have no doubt that they have some rights, but the point we’ve been trying to make with them is we too have rights,” said Gardner.
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Helping ranchers through this maze is Lorne Greenaway. The retired member of the provincial aboriginal treaty commission has been contracted by the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association to represent the cattle industry’s rights in negotiations.
Poor negotiating record
It is estimated there will be 35 treaty negotiations in B.C. by the end of this year. It won’t be easy, Greenaway said, because provincial politicians are frightened of the issue due to poorly handled negotiations in the past. There is also concern that federal negotiators won’t understand B.C. issues and life.
“Surely to God as mature people we can work something out. The last thing we want is civil disobedience and insurrection,” he said.
“We know if you don’t have a firm ironclad guarantee to range and water, your ranches are down the tubes.”
But agriculture minister David Zirnhelt told the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association convention that two discussion papers state grazing tenures on crown land must be honored and private land is not on the table.
“The First Nations are going to have to give up something. They’re going to have to pay taxes,” said Zirnhelt.
Cattlemen president John Morrison wants to take a moderate approach during the negotiations:”We’ve been saying they’ve got to resolve this thing because good people are going to get hurt on both sides.
“We have to give the natives the opportunity to own things. They should be given money to buy land and own it as a Canadian,” he said.
