Musqueam, Ottawa initial self-government agreement

VANCOUVER — The federal Crown-Indigenous relations minister and the chief of the Musqueam Indian Band have initialled an agreement they say brings the band one step closer to self-governance.

Minister Gary Anandasangaree told a ceremony on Friday afternoon that initialling the Musqueam self-government agreement is a “significant milestone” and a “powerful step” toward self-determination.

He says once the agreement is in effect, it will revitalize the Musqueam Nation’s inherent right to self-government and restore the community’s ability to create laws, programs, services and develop economic opportunities on the nation’s own terms.

Chief Wayne Sparrow says being self-sufficient and looking after the community’s affairs has always been their vision.

Musqueam has a population of more than 1,400 people with more than 50 per cent living on reserve.

A joint statement says the next steps are for the Musqueam to launch community engagement and begin the process of ratifying the self-government agreement among its membership.

If approved, the agreement will need federal legislation to give it legal effect.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.

The Canadian Press