The Treaty Related Measures 5 communications and engagement team, composed of Eric Anderson and Andreas Krebs, engaged with Gitga’at members about their priorities for reconciliation negotiations in the fall and winter of 2022-2023.
This engagement was directed by the Reconciliation Advisory Committee, composed of elected and hereditary leaders, elders, youth, and members living in Hartley Bay and away from home. Engagement consisted of an online survey and sessions in Hartley Bay, Prince Rupert.
The survey asked for a ranking of priorities and more specific priorities under each category (survey questions are listed in Appendix A). Engagement sessions gave an overview of the reconciliation process, including the work in Treaty Related Measures 5 (communications and engagement and reconciliation implementation readiness).
Attendees then participated in resource allocation exercise where they distributed $100 in “funny money” between the top-level priority areas originally listed in the survey. The top three priority areas from this activity were then discussed as a group, which provided further qualitative data in the following areas:
Language & Culture
Education
Housing
Title/Land
Engagement was very high considering the total Gitga’at membership of approximately 675.
Survey responses: 61
Meeting participation: 28