BC Ferries has signed a formal agreement with a Vancouver Island First Nation that had previously accused the ferry service of racism and infringement on its treaty rights.
Both sides described the agreement, announced Thursday, as a "first step in building a strong partnership" to guide the ferry operator's business decisions in Snuneymuxw territory in and around Nanaimo, B.C.
There are four BC Ferries terminals in the nation's territory, namely the Departure Bay, Duke Point and Nanaimo Harbour terminals in Nanaimo, as well as the Descano Bay terminal on Gabriola Island.
The new agreement recognizes the Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854, which protects the nation's rights to its land and waters, and affirms the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as the framework for reconciliation between the two sides.
In January, Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse accused BC Ferries of racism and discrimination after the ferry company named a new vessel that was to sail in Snuneymuxw territory after a word from the language of another First Nation.
Wyse called the naming of the Island Gwawis – meaning Raven of the Sea in the language of the 'Namgis First Nation of Alert Bay, B.C. – "woefully inflammatory and offensive to building a relationship between us."
The chief went on to say that BC Ferries terminals in the nation's territory operate without the nation's consent and have caused "significant negative impacts," which the ferry operator had not addressed.
In response, BC Ferries said the names of its vessels are not related to the territories or routes in which they operate.
Following the signing of the new agreement Thursday, acting chief William Yoachim applauded BC Ferries for "thinking out of the box and recognizing and rectifying" the two sides' past grievances.
"We're confident that this is a step in the right direction," Yoachim said.
Jill Sharland, the newly minted interim CEO of BC Ferries said the agreement "lays the foundation for a lasting partnership between BC Ferries and Snuneymuxw First Nation."
