The Lheidli T'enneh First Nation will decide this Saturday in a referendum whether they will vote again on a treaty with the B.C. and federal governments rejected in 2007.
The federal government has told the Lheidli T'enneh - whose main community is located just east of Prince George - they must decide before Nov. 30 whether they will take a revote of the treaty.
The referendum will take place during a community forum at the Coast Inn of the North to discuss the findings of a governance initiative working group established in early 2008. Members from outside Prince George are expected.
While Lheidli T'enneh leaders, including chief Dominic Frederick, would not discuss the findings of the report of the working group, they did say that one of the recommendations of the working group was to proceed to a second ratification vote.
If a revote was to take place, the community would be voting on an unchanged treaty, although cash amounts are indexed to inflation.
The treaty rejected in 2007 by the Lheidli T'enneh included self-government, 4,275 hectares of treaty land, $27 million in cash, revenue-sharing and fishing rights. The land included parcels within city limits.
The deal was much improved from one rejected by the band in 2000, which offered $7.5 million in cash and 2,663 hectares of land.
It also improved on the cash component of the 2002 agreement-in-principle, which offered $12.8 million.
In 2007, the treaty failed to meet the 70-per-cent threshold needed. Of the 233 valid votes cast -- out of a possible 300 -- only 48 per cent voted in favour of the treaty.
