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Nisga'a Lisims Government corrects story

The Nisga'a Lisims Government is determined to retrieve funds so that they can be used for the benefit of Nisga’a citizens in Terrace.

Dear Sir:

We are writing to correct several serious errors which appeared in your article ‘Nisga’a budget battle headed to the courts’ published on your website on November 24, 2013. We would request these errors be immediately corrected.

Your article incorrectly indicates that Nisga’a Lisims Government (“NLG”) and “Nisga’a living in Terrace” are headed to court. This is a mischaracterization of the legal action being taken.  NLG is not taking any action against Nisga’a citizens residing in Terrace nor against any Nisga’a citizen.  Rather, NLG is seeking to prohibit the Terrace Nisga’a Society (“TNS”) from dissipating funds provided to TNS by NLG.

These funds were provided to TNS for the provision of programs and services benefitting Nisga’a citizens in Terrace. TNS instead used a portion of these funds for, among other things, litigation against the Nisga’a Nation.  Accordingly, NLG determined it would directly provide programs and services to the Nisga’a citizens residing in Terrace. NLG, through the NLG-Terrace Office, has been providing these programs and services in Terrace since August 1, 2013, and will continue to do so.

The article also incorrectly indicates that TNS was “created to be an urban component of the Lisims government”. TNS is a society incorporated under the provincial Society Act, and plays no role in Nisga’a governance or NLG. TNS merely contracted with the Nisga’a Nation to provide programs and services in Terrace.  For various reasons, NLG determined it could more effectively provide these programs and services, and terminated its contractual relationship with TNS effective July 31, 2013.  Under the contract, TNS was to return to NLG all unexpended funds which TNS held on July 31st. TNS has refused to do so, requiring NLG to seek a court order prohibiting TNS from using the funds.

NLG is determined to retrieve the funds from TNS, so that they can be used for the benefit of Nisga’a citizens in Terrace, rather than costly litigation.

Nisga'a Lisims Government,

H. Mitchell Stevens, President