The Maa-nulth First Nations are made up of five First Nations:
- Huu-ay-aht First Nations (pronounced hoo-way-ut)
- Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h First Nations (pronounced kai-yoo-kut/chek-les-ut)
- Toquaht Nation (pronounced toe-kwaht)
- Uchucklesaht Tribe (pronounced you-chuk-les-ut)
- Ucluelet First Nation (pronounced u-clue-let)
On June 18, the federal government gave royal assent to the Maa-nulth First Nations treaty. This was the last step in what has been a long journey towards a final agreement for the five First Nations negotiating as part of the Maa-nulth treaty. No Effective Date has yet been agreed to for the treaty.
Provincial legislation to ratify the agreement was introduced to the Legislative Assembly on November 21; it received Royal Assent on November 29.
In October 2007, five First Nations voted in favour of accepting the Final Agreement. Of those who voted, close to 80 per cent were in favour of the treaty.
The Maa-nulth Final Agreement is the first modern-day treaty for Vancouver Island and the second under the BCTC process.
- The Maa-nulth First Nations entered the treaty process in January 1994 as part of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council treaty table.
- The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, British Columbia and Canada initialled a draft Agreement-in-Principle in 2001.
- Six of the 12 First Nations negotiating as part of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council approved the Agreement-in-Principle. Five of these First Nations joined together to form the Maa-nulth First Nations Treaty Society.
- The Maa-nulth First Nations initialled a Final Agreement in December 2006.
- Each of the five Maa-nulth First Nations will hold a vote on the Final Agreement.
- The Huu-ay-aht First Nations voted to accept the Final Agreement on July 28, 2007. Of the 303 ballots cast, a resounding 90 per cent, or 272 votes, were in favour of the treaty.
- The remaining four First Nations – the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h First Nations, the Toquaht Nation, the Uchucklesaht Tribe and the Ucluelet First Nation – all voted in favour of the Final Agreement in October 2007.
- Provincial legislation to ratify the Maa-nulth Final Agreement was introduced to the Legislative Assembly on November 21; it received Royal Assent on November 29.
- On June 18, the federal government gave royal assent to the Maa-nulth First Nations treaty. The Maa-nulth First Nations are now in the final stage (stage 6) of the treaty process — implementation. An Effective Date for the treaty has not yet been agreed upon.
Negotiating status: Final Agreement has received Royal Assent and the treaty must now be implemented. An Effective Date will be decided upon by the three parties: B.C., the First Nation and Canada.
Location: On the west coast of Vancouver Island surrounding Barkley Sound and Kyuquot Sound, including the towns of Bamfield, Port Alberni, Ucluelet, and Campbell River.
Band members: There are 1,978 members in total from five distinct First Nations groups.
Maa-nulth means: Villages along the coast (in Nuu-chah-nulth language).
