For Future Generations

Drawing on the relationship of the Gitxsan to the land and their community, the author addresses reconciling the interests of Canada's First Nations and various levels of government and using oral history to prove land claims. The historic Delgamuuk'w case is examined in detail.

Dawn Mills passionately shows how reconciliation can be achieved between Canada’s First Nations and the various levels of government.With material provided by the Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs’ office, court transcripts from Delgam’Uukw v. British Columbia, and her own research, Dawn Mills paints a compelling picture of the Gitxsan and their right to land and self-government. While the book focuses on the judgments rendered in the Gitxsan’s struggle in the Supreme Court and an analysis of the judgments and strategies utilized, Mills also details the Gitxsan relationship to the land and their community. Contrary to the position taken by many legal scholars, Mills argues that the trial judgment in the Delgam’Uukw decision opened up new opportunities for First Nations people to present evidence based on oral traditions that had not been previously accepted by the courts.