By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter First Nations leaders say wild salmon, ecological health and Indigenous rights must be at the forefront of efforts to update a 60-year-old international deal governing the waters of the Columbia River. In 1964, “Canada” and the “United States” ratified the Columbia River Treaty without Indigenous involvement or consent. It now affects more than 470 dams along the 2,000-kilometre cross-border waterway and its tributaries, according to the Columbia Basin Trust. But this time around, the Ktunaxa, Secwépemc and syilx Okanagan Nations have won seats at the negotiating table, as colonial governments work to modernize the treaty. For the past six years, the three nations have helped inform the “Canadian” and “B.C.” governments’ position on an agreement in principle (AIP) announced last month — including…
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