Organization Profile - British Columbia Treaty Commission

The British Columbia Treaty Commission

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

The purpose of the British Columbia Treaty Commission is to facilitate, in British Columbia, the negotiation of treaties among one or more First Nations, the Province of British Columbia and Canada. The Commission was established by the British Columbia Treaty Commission Act. The facilitation role includes: accepting First Nations into the treaty process; assessing the parties' readiness to negotiate; allocating negotiation support funding (provided by Canada and British Columbia) to First Nations; monitoring the progress of negotiations; and publishing an annual report for tabling in Parliament and the British Columbia Legislature.

British Columbia Treaty Commission Act

The Commission consists of the Chief Commissioner and not more than four other commissioners.

The Chief Commissioner is appointed jointly by the Governor in Council, the Lieutenant Governor in Council and the Summit for a term not exceeding three years. The Chief Commissioner holds office during pleasure and may be removed by the Governor in Council, the Lieutenant Governor in Council and the Summit jointly.

One commissioner is to be appointed by order of the Governor in Council, one commissioner is to be appointed by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council and two commissioners are to be appointed by resolution of the Summit. A commissioner holds office during pleasure but may be removed by the person or body that appointed the commissioner. A commissioner may be reappointed. The Chief Commissioner shall act as the chief executive officer.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the Chief Commissioner or if that office is vacant, the other commissioners may designate, by unanimous agreement, one of them to act as Chief Commissioner during the absence, incapacity or vacancy, and the commissioner so designated has and may exercise all of the powers and perform all of the duties and functions of the Chief Commissioner.

The Chief Commissioner, one commissioner appointed by the Governor in Council, one commissioner appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and one commissioner appointed by the Summit constitute a quorum of the Commission.