Cowichan Tribes & Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group Timeline

• 1950 Canada signed the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The signing of this declaration resulted in the removal of the most offensive human rights violantions that were in the Canadian law through the Indian Act 1876. 
• 1951 Canada removed the sections of the Indian Act that outlawed the practice of Cowichan Tribes culture and the exercise of Cowichan Tribes Governance.  Since the sections were removed Cowichan Tribes people have been making effors to re-establish Cowichan Tribes governcance, authority, institutions, and jurisdictions.

• 1966, Cowichan Tribes received an $80,000 grant to hire a Band Manager, and two staff.  Chief Dennis Alphonse succeeded in achieving a small degree of independance for Cowichan Tribes because of the grant.  The two staff became record keepers and agenda creators for Council.
• Cowichan Tribes lobbies to Arthur Liang, the Minister of Indian Affairs at the time, for new homes.  After visiting Cowichan Tribes, Liang agreed to provide funding for new homes.  Cowichan Tribes was facing overcrowding, and inadequate housing.  Before receiving the money to build new homes, Cowichan Tribes could only build one new home per year.  The funding provided meant new homes for Cowichan Tribes, but they were inferior, and gave rise to a public health emergency that emerged in the late 1990's.

• Early 1970’s, the Federal Government transferred some authority to Cowichan Tribes.  Cowichan Tribes gained authority in the areas of Social Development, Education, and Operations & Maintenance.  The authorities of thes departments were only in service delivery, and not in decision making.
• Mid-1970’s Cowichan is successful in securing responsibility for its land management.  Cowichan Tribes was one of the original First Nations to gain management because of two main reasons: 1) the large commercial development on its Reserve, and 2) the large number of Certificate of Possession (CP) holders.
• Cowichan Tribes negotiates funding for Cowichan Tribes Fisheries Guardians to prevent illegal fishing.

• Cowichan Tribes is able to expand its role in fisheries.  This was to include involvement in a five year strategy for marine resource governance.  This program has grown and continues on with the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group.
• Cowichan Tribes initiated Project Child.  This was a community driven project that responded to child sexual abuse.
• The late 1980's Cowichan Tribes leadershiop was giving influence to key child welfare issues.

• 1990: Cowichan Tribes signs onto a Mater Tuition Agreement with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).  Cowichan Tribes expands its role in Education.  Cowichan Tribes sees Education as the road back to restoring their language, culture, and eliminating racism towards their people.
• Cowichan Tribes gains responsibility for Health and Child Welfare.  Cowichan Tribes was the first to have a dedicated Elder's Centre, and hosted  may First Nations delegations who subsequently modeled their own Elder Centre's after Cowichan's.
• 1992: Ts'ewulhtun health Centre opens.  The Health Centre now manages public health and communicable disease control for Cowichan Tribes.
• 1993: Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group is founded.  Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group (HTG) is founded to jointly negotiate a comprehensive treaty with BC and Canada in the BC Treaty process.  HTG represents over 6,200 members in six First Nations: Chemainus First Nation, Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lake Cowichan First Nation, Lyackson First Nation and Penelakut Tribe.
• 1993: Delegation Enabling Agreement signed between Cowichan Tribes and BC Ministry of Social Services.  This gave the provision of voluntary services for families. 
• 1996: Lalum'utul Smun'eem acquired full delegation.  This mean provision for the full range of services from prevention to protection for children on the Reserve.
• 1997: Delgamuukw decision confirms aboriginal title exists.  The decision confirmed that aboriginal title does exit in British Columbia, that it is a right to the land itself - not just the right to hunt, fish, or gather - and that when dealing with Crown land, the government must consult with and may have to compensate First nations whose rights may be affected.
• 1997: Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group signs Openness Protocol.  This protocol documents is intended to provide public access to information throughtout the treaty negotiation process subject to the need to conduct effective and evvicient negotiations.  This protocoal establishes procedures for public attendance at meetings and public access guidelines to information and documents.
• 1997: Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group Framework Agreement.  The purpose of this Agreement is to guide the conduct of treaty negotiations among the Parties towards completion fo the Agreement in Principle (AIO), and to set out the timing, process and substantive isues for the negotiations.
• 1997: Procedures Agreement among The Hul'qumi'num Teaty Group, Canada, and BC for the Agreement in Principal Stage.  The agreement focuses on how Main Table meetings are to be conducted, scheduling of Main Table meetings, the location, preparing, and the chairing of Main Tables is also addressed.

• 2004: Interim Agreement on an Advisory Role concerning the planning and management of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.  This agreement sets out the interium terms by which Canada and the HTG will establish a process for the advisory role for the HTG in the planning and management of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. 
• 2006: Interim Consultation Agreement concernng the cooperative planning and management of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.  This agreement sets out the interim terms by which the Parties will continue to develop and clarify the role for the First Nations in the cooperative planning and management Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and establish a process for consultation where the conduct comtemplated by Canada in planning and management could adversely affect or infringe a potential aboriginal right or title of the First Nations.
• 2006: Joint Chief Negotiators Protocol.  Signed on October 28, 2006 by representatives of 43 First Nations in the BC Treaty Process.
• 2007: Memorandum of Understanding: First Nation Heritage Conservation in Hul'qumi'num Tumuhw.  An agreement between BC and the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group to involve the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group and the member First Nations are completely in the archaelogical permitting process.
• 2007: Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group Signs Unity Protocol.  Signing onto the Unity Protocol provided HTG with an opportunity to make progress on the major issues that are currently stalling the treaty talks.
• 2007: Cowichan Tribes Tsawssen Protocol Agreement.  An agreement signed by representatives from Musqueam, Tswassen, and Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group. All parties worked together to make the agreement to share resources and acknowldege the imnportance of presenting a unified fro so that Department Fisheries Oceans (DFO) can no longer divide nations.
• 2007:  United Nations General Assembly adopts the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  The vote marks a historic moment for the world's Indigenous Peoples. This is the first time Indigenous People have recognized "Peoples" without qualification in an international legal document.