It has come to the attention of the Lax Kw’alaams Hereditary Chiefs’ Council (LHCC) that some people are sending out letters professing to represent the hereditary leadership of Lax Kw’alaams under the guise of the former Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams.
This is surprising since it is well known to community members that this organization has been effectively dormant for approximately 15 years over which period it has not represented the Nine Tribes.
Since the Allied Tsimshian Tribes Association has not filed an annual report with the registrar for at least two years, or other return, notice or document (or actually had an annual general meeting for that matter) nor generally followed the requirements of the British Columbia Society Act, [RSBC 1966] Chapter 433, it has been dissolved as of September 3, 2013 and struck from the corporate records. Therefore, in addition to being basically nonoperational for over a decade, it also no longer exists as a distinct legal entity.
Aside from this basic legal and community reality, the actual hereditary leadership of the Nine Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams has decided to move forward in a more constructive direction, unencumbered by the political and other baggage of the former (and now dissolved) society. It has done this by incorporating the LHCC (Number S-0064914) as of Dec. 11, 2015.
As such, we request that you immediately cease misrepresenting the Lax Kw’alaams hereditary leadership — particularly in relation to major natural resource projects in our traditional territory (where the LHCC is working cooperatively with our Band Council to protect our tribal interests). By inviting professional protestors from non-governmental organizations (and other non-Lax Kw’alaams First Nations people) onto our traditional lands without proper consultation, you are in breach of our hereditary protocols. This unsanctioned action creates unnecessary confusion, damage to our tribal unity, and represents a huge insult to our members. For millennia, we alone have protected our territories, and we deeply resent the intrusion of external environmental organizations seeking to dictate our agenda by using select community members as puppets for their specific interests (and not our community/tribal members).
Please stand advised that if anyone continues such misrepresentations we will immediately seek legal action in the form of injunctive relief and personal monetary damages against each of those listed as representing the hereditary leadership of the Nine Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams in your correspondence.
Respectfully,
The Lax Kw’alaams Hereditary Chiefs Council
- Submitted by Michael McCarthy