Land Claims Agreements Coalition

For Immediate Release

LAND CLAIMS AGREEMENTS COALITION
WELCOMES SENATE REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

(May 21, 2008, Ottawa Ontario) The Land Claims Aagreements Coalition
today welcomed the interim report by the Senate Committee on
Aboriginal Peoples entitled “Honouring the Spirit of Modern
Ttreaties: Closing the Loopholes”. The report is a study of the
implementation of the comprehensive land claims agreements and was
adopted by the Senate Committee after an extensive set of hearings
drawing in witnesses from a variety of places, including the Office of
the Auditor General, federal departments, and organizations and governments. A copy of the report can be obtained at http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/abor-e/rep-e/rep05may08-e.pdf.

On behalf of the Coalition, Co-Chair Nelson Leeson, President of the
Nisga’a Nation said, “We are very encouraged by the overall
substance of the Senate Committee’s Report. The recommendations
outlined in the Report are consistent with the principles of treaty
implementation that the Land Claims Aagreements Coalition has endorsed
and advocated for a number of years. We are pleased that the Committee has
recognized the problems that we have been facing with the implementation of our agreements.”

Coalition Co-Chair James Eetoolook, Acting President of the Nunavut
Tunngavik Incorporated, added “We are very pleased that the Senate
Committee has prepared this insightful and constructive report. It has
important recommendations for the government to move forward, and will
be a significant building block in developing a more successful
approach to implementing modern treaties.”

The Land Claims Agreements Coalition represents signatories to modern treaties (land claims and self government agreements) in northern Canada from British Columbia to Labrador.
Established in 2003, Coalition members work together to ensure that
comprehensive land claims and associated self-government agreements are respected, honoured and fully implemented in order to achieve their objectives.

For more information contact:
Patti Black, Land Claims Agreements Coalition
Email: black@consilium.ca
Tel: 613-374-3830

Council of Yukon First Nations
Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee)
Gwich’in Tribal Council
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
Makivik Corporation
Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach
Nisga’a Nation
Nunatsiavut Government
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
The Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated
Tlicho Government

c/o The Consilium Consulting Ggroup, 488 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa, ON, K1R 5N8
Tel: (613) 237-3613 Fax: (613) 237-3845 www.landclaimscoalition.ca