The only problem was, that some of the members of the Tsimshian nation were still a little concerned about some of the details and were wishing for a more thorough review of the proposals. A decision that left the papers unsigned, funding for the All Native tournament and scholarships in a holding pattern and the details to be worked out for the weeks to come.
Thursday, under slightly different visuals, Mr. Veniez and the leadership of the Allied Tribes of the Coast Tsimshian met in the Lax Kw'alaams offices and put pen to paper to reach a consensus in what has been called a Historic protocol agreement.
One which all sides hope will lead to better relationships between the two groups and much in the way of cooperation and benefit to all.
Some of the key elements to the agreement include, $5,000-worth of funding for the All Native Basketball Tournament, $25,000 in post-secondary scholarship money for the Tsimshian community and perhaps most importantly of all reported employment prospects for Tsimshian members at RTI.
One of the more interesting of reports from the details of the agreement, calls for the potential for 15 non-union jobs at Ridley filled to by members of the Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams community, who will be provided the opportunity to receive on-site training such as that which is offered to union workers.
The Daily News outlined the signing details from Thursday as part of the Friday paper.
Historic agreement has RTI, Tsimshian in unison
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Friday, October 24, 2008
Pages one and three
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Friday, October 24, 2008
Pages one and three
Murray Smith stood up in the Lax Kw'alaams office and said, "Let's walk together." And that is what the Nine Allied Tribes of the Tsimshian and Ridley Terminals Inc. have decided to do.
Yesterday, RTI chairman Dan Veniez, James Bryant of the Allied Tribes of the Coast Tsimshian, Metlakatla chief Harold Leighton and Lax Kw'alaams chief councillor John Helin finally signed the protocol agreement they had initially planned on signing more than two weeks ago.
"It signifies that someone inside your territory wants to sit with you and acknowledge that they are in your territory and they want to go forward working together," said Helin.
Helin added that the protocol agreement was just a starting point and that they would see where it went from there.
The protocol agreement includes the promises made at the Chances Gaming Centre feast on Oct. 5 when concerns were raised about how fast the protocol agreement was put together and after some would-be signatories felt that they were not consulted about it.
The $5,000-worth of funding for the All Native Basketball Tournament is still there as is the $25,000 post-secondary scholarship money for the Tsimshian community.
"I don't consider (this) a big deal because I consider this as part of every company's responsibility," said Veniez.
"Don't forget we are a Crown corporation. We are responsible for reaching out to our communities whether they be aboriginal or non-aboriginal. It just so happens there is a very significant aboriginal population here that we ignore."
The agreement itself is not meant to be simply a cash handout.
The community leaders who put their names on the protocol were all in agreement that it was time to say that it was not the colour of skin that defines career suitability but the capability of the mind. It was about opening doors so that North Coast aboriginals can get jobs on an equal footing with all other members of the community.
Another aspect of the agreement was to have 15 non-union jobs at Ridley filled by members of the Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams community with the opportunity to do on-site training that is offered to union workers.
"When you look at our territories and what's happening, you hear a lot of people saying we are anti-business, that we don't want development in our territory. That is not true. We want to be partners in what's happening in the territories and that's partners with everyone," said Leighton.
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