By Radha Agarwal, Prince Rupert Northern View, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

Indicating a united front before the Lax Kw’alaams votes on its landmark constitution, the hereditary leaders of the Allied Ts’msyen Tribes and the Lax Kw’alaams elected council have officially signed a Governance Accord.

“Our Allied Tribes leaders have rightful authority, and we (the elected leadership) need to work closely together,” said Lax Kw’alaams mayor Garry Reece. 

Lax Kw’alaams consists of descendants from the Nine Tribes of the Ts’msyen, which include the Gitlaan, Gispaxlo’ots, Gilutz’aaẅ, Gitandoa, Gitnadoixs, Ginax’angiik, Gits’iis, Gitzaxłaał, and the Gitwilgyoots. It has approximately 4,150 members and is located on the northwest coast of British Columbia near Prince Rupert.

The Lax Kw’alaams band council called a referendum on April 9 to vote on the proposed Da’ax Kw’alaams Man-Ayaawx Constitution. It will be a significant step toward establishing their own self-governance framework.

Executed on April 7, the Governance Accord establishes a formal relationship between hereditary and elected leaders. It includes shared decision-making in a hybrid governance model for the integrity of Lax Kw’alaams territory. 

Hereditary governance has been the natural representative of the Ts’msyen territory since time immemorial, while the elected band council was established under the Indian Act in 1876.

“Council does not want to make any more decisions on our territory without our hereditary leaders – we commit to that and to moving forward united,” said Lax Kw’alaams mayor Garry Reece. “We have formalized our promise from Council that we will not make any decisions on the territory without our Allied Tribes.”

Smooygit Nesawaap (Robert Huges) is a hereditary leader of the Gispaxlo’ats Laxsguiik Tribe. He was among the 12 leaders who signed the Governance Accord with the 13 elected band members.

“There are so many other First Nations claiming into our territory. We want to work with the band council to strengthen our ties together, and work together to help protect our territories,” said Nesawaap.

“The hereditary leaders always wanted control. They’re the rightful title holders of all the land of the nine allied Ts’msyen tribes. We’ve been under the Indian Act for decades now, and we want to get out and have our own self-determination and have control over our own territory,” the Gispaxlo’ats leader said.

The proposed Lax Kw’alaams constitution will represent its people’s shared values, identity, and governance framework, remaining consistent despite changes in elected leaders. It is intended to reaffirm and assert the rights of its citizens, establishing a stronger governance system that can create its own laws and manage its territory.

“Under the Indian Act, we are limited. It’s tough to create wealth for our people. This is our solution going forward to address this and all of Council supports this, and many respected Hereditary leaders support this,” said mayor Reece.

“We are proud to work together in both the Governance Accord and the proposed constitution. The constitution will make it final law that we must work together,” he added.

The Lax Kw’alaams Constitution has taken years to develop. It has been influenced by knowledge keepers, fluent language speakers, hereditary leaders, constitutional experts, and an extensive community engagement process. This process lasted over three years and culminated in a revised Constitution that the Band says is entirely based on feedback from the community.

The written constitution establishes a legal framework that includes foundational provisions, rights and responsibilities, government structure, and the law-making process. It also formalizes collaboration practices between ancient forms of governance, such as the Hanaa’nax and Galmalgyax, and modern elected officials.

The Allied Ts’msyen Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams never ceded, surrendered or extinguished their inherent right to govern their Laxyuup territory.

Voting on the constitution is currently open, and at least 60 percent of voters in the referendum must be in favour for it to be passed.

The final draft of the constitution is available on the band’s website.

To vote

Online: Members can register through OneFeather to vote until 8 p.m. on April 9, 2025.

In-person: Voting will be open between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on April 9 in Lax Kw’alaams at the Reginald Sampson Recreation Centre Gymnasium.

In Prince Rupert, voting will occur on the same day between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.