May 19, 2021 (Westbank First Nation, British Columbia)
Historic Vote – Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation becomes 100th First Nation to pass a land code removing its lands from the Indian Act.
On May 3, 2021 the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation membership approved its community developed land code and ratified the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.
On behalf of the signatory First Nations to The Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management (the “Framework Agreement”), the Lands Advisory Board, and the First Nations Land Management Resource Centre congratulate Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation on becoming the 100th First Nation to establish a land code. The vote held on May 3, 2021, passed with 84.8% of participating voting membership approving the land code. Pekuakamiulnuatsh is the second First Nation in Quebec to establish a land code.
Since February 12, 1996, First Nations have had the option to develop a land code to govern their own lands through the principles of the Framework Agreement, which has supported them to re-establish land laws and authority over their Reserve lands, Natural Resources, and Environment. The Framework Agreement provides participant First Nations the option of replacing 44 lands-related sections of the Indian Act with their own land code.
(For the complete press release, please follow this link)
Please click on the below videos to listen to messages of congratulations on the 100th vote from the LAB Chairman, RC Chair, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Minister of Indigenous Services.
