DOCUMENT: UBCIC.TXT UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS ABORIGINAL TITLE AND RIGHTS POSITION PAPER Ratified at the UBCIC 17th Annual General Assembly THE FOUNDATION OF OUR POSITION THROUGH OUR DISTINCT ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT IS THAT: a) We are the original people of this land and have the right to survive as distinct Peoples into the future; b) Each First Nation collectively maintains Title to the lands in its respective traditional territory; c) We have the right to choose and determine the authority we wish to exercise through our Indian Governments; d) We have the right to exercise jurisdiction within our traditional territories to maintain our sacred connection to Mother Earth through prudent management and conservation of the resources for the economic survival and well-being of our citizens; e) Only through a process of informed consent may our governing powers or our land shared; JURISDICTION The modern expression to the exercise of our Sovereign Title is called Jurisdiction. Each First Nation has the right to define and enforce the areas of jurisdiction necessary to protect that Nation's Sovereign Title. These Rights are seen as a Sacred Trust between the citizens of our First Nations and our chosen Governments. Such Rights are entrusted to each citizen to uphold and protect for the mutual benefit of our Nations' Government and citizens. Areas of jurisdiction over which First Nations may make laws include but are not limited to: BOUNDARIES of our Traditional Territories including land, sea, water and air. FOOD-GATHERING through Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and harvesting for the well-being of our First Nations. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT and environmental protection of the traditional and all renewable and non-renewable resources within it. ECONOMIC RIGHTS including resource development, manufacturing, trade and commerce and fiscal relations. SPIRITUAL RIGHTS to practice our religion, spiritual customs, traditions and culture including protection of our sacred lands within our care. NATIONAL RIGHTS to enjoy our national identity, language and history as citizens of our Nations. POLITICAL RIGHTS to self-determination to form our political institutions, and to exercise our government through these institutions, and to develop our political relations with other First Nations, Canada and other Nations of the World. CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS of each individual to human rights as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: -= THE FOURTH WORLD DOCUMENTATION PROJECT =- :: :: A service provided by :: :: The Center For World Indigenous Studies :: :: www.cwis.org :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Originating at the Center for World Indigenous Studies, Olympia, Washington USA www.cwis.org © 1999 Center for World Indigenous Studies (All Rights Reserved. References up to 500 words must be referenced to the Center for World Indigenous Studies and/or the Author Copyright Policy Material appearing in the Fourth World Documentation Project Archive is accepted on the basis that the material is the original, unoccupied work of the author or authors. Authors agree to indemnify the Center for World Indigenous Studies, and DayKeeper Press for all damages, fines and costs associated with a finding of copyright infringement by the author or by the Center for World Indigenous Studies Fourth World Documentation Project Archive in disseminating the author(s) material. In almost all cases material appearing in the Fourth World Documentation Project Archive will attract copyright protection under the laws of the United States of America and the laws of countries which are member states of the Berne Convention, Universal Copyright Convention or have bi-lateral copyright agreements with the United States of America. Ownership of such copyright will vest by operation of law in the authors and/or The Center for World Indigenous Studies, Fourth World Journal or DayKeeper Press. The Fourth World Documentation Project Archive and its authors grant a license to those accessing the Fourth World Documentation Project Archive to render copyright materials on their computer screens and to print out a single copy for their personal non-commercial use subject to proper attribution of the Center for World Indigenous Studies Fourth World Documentation Project Archive and/or the authors. Questions may be referred to: Director of Research Center for World Indigenous Studies PMB 214 1001 Cooper Point RD SW Suite 140 Olympia, Washington 98502-1107 USA 360-754-1990 www.cwis.org usaoffice@cwis.org OCR Software provided by Caere Corporation