June 28 , 2003

Stop Treaty Negotiations

ROBBINS-SCE Research
(604) 942-3757

Coquitlam-A survey of 2,765 respondents throughout 79 ridings in British Columbia. This survey was conducted between April 25 2003 and June 14, 2003. It features an error rate of plus or minus 3% 19 times out of twenty, and a 98% competency factor.

This survey was paid for in part by REFORM BC.

Question 1.
In your opinion, should all people in British Columbia, including lawmakers and other government officials, be equal before the law?

YES     97%
NO       03%

BC Indian Grand Chief Ed John stated on television (Voice of BC April 9, 2003) “There isn’t enough money in this province to settle this issue…what I’m talking about is the value of timber and minerals that have been harvested in this province since it’s inception…you don’t have enough money in this province to pay for that.”

Question 2.
Until the federal government lives up to its constitutional responsibility on Treaty Negotiations, do you agree or disagree that the BC government should stop provincial treaty negotiations.

Agree     78%
Disagree 22%

Question 3.
In your opinion, are these demands to stop treaty negotiations a racist policy?

NO       87%
YES     13%

Sincerely,
Glen Robbins

Comments by Ron Gamble:

A high number of British Columbians believe that laws should be responsive to public opinion, not to a single race, as indicated by their response to Question 3. More than half of the respondents, who disagreed in Question 2, did not believe stopping treaty negotiations was a racist policy.

The intrusion into treaty negotiations by the province has overstepped the bounds of the Federal Government whose constitutional duty is to assume treaty negotiations. The monetary issue should be borne entirely by the Federal Government on behalf of all Canadians. The terms of union between British Columbia and Canada is in compliance in providing reserved land for the Native Indians as agreed upon in 1871.

Mr. John Weston, legal council for Chief Mountain in his attempt to over turn the Nisga’a treaty stated, Premier Campbell, who recently repeated his claim that “There would never be another Nisga’a Treaty” once told us that the Provincial Government was not properly mandated to carry out its negotiations, and that a referendum should have been held in accordance with the provincial Constitutional Amendment Approval Act. Mr. Weston went on to say:

Former Supreme Court of Canada Judge Willard “Bud” Estey stated in his presentation to the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, on March 22, 2000:

“The [Treaty] provides for the transfer from the Governments of Canada and British Columbia to the Nisga’a Nation very significant sovereign powers presently possessed by Canada and British Columbia in accordance with the Constitution of Canada. This transfer is, by itself, unconstitutional.”

Under these circumstances a Reform government, in acting in accordance with a strong majority of British Columbians, would stop Treaty Negotiations and legally seek to overturn the transfer of the Nisga’a Treaty as invalid and unconstitutional.

For More Information contact:

Ron Gamble, Leader
PO Box 466, Surrey Main Surrey, BC V3T 5B7
Phone: 604-980-7779
E-mail: info@reformbc.net
Web site: www.reformbc.net