Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Canada Ink Reconciliation Deal
səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), District of North Vancouver, British Columbia – Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Today, Chief Jen Thomas of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, marked a significant milestone towards strengthening their Nation-to-Nation relationship.
Meeting in the Tsleil-Waututh community, they signed a new Reconciliation Agreement as an incremental step towards reconciliation. The Agreement sets out a process for future discussions and negotiations on topics of shared interest to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Canada. Building on a Letter of Understanding (LOU) signed in 2017, it re-commits the Parties to continue working together on a Nation-to-Nation basis, guided by core principles including the recognition of Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s section 35 rights within the Territory, and a shared commitment to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Representatives of Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Crown-Indigenous Relations developed the Agreement through their established Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination negotiation table. The Agreement follows other agreements between Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Canada that are focused on cooperation and partnership on environmental management in the Burrard Inlet, including the Agreement on Collaborative Decision Making Regarding Disposal at Sea (2018), and the Burrard Inlet Environmental Science and Stewardship Agreement (2021).
Canada supports the goal of advancing Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s interests, including recognition of their traditional role as stewards of Burrard Inlet, as well as a commitment to the ongoing collaborative process of reconciliation. The Reconciliation Agreement is a tangible example of how Canada is working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to deliver results. It is also another example of how Canada is upholding its commitment to advance on Action Plan Measures included in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
https://www.canada.ca/en/crown-indigenous-relations-northern-affairs/news/2025/03/tsleil-waututh-nation-and-the-government-of-canada-sign-a-reconciliation-agreement.html