Those Who Stood The Line
In 1985, after decades of relentless industrial logging and unacceptable resource extraction practices that devastated the forests of Haida Gwaii, and years of attempts to work with the provincial government to protect the South Moresby Wilderness area, the Haida Nation upheld Haida Law and designated the area as a Haida Heritage Site. The Canadian and Provincial governments pushed back, and a blockade was formed on Tllga Kun Gwaay.aay Lyell Island. The political standoff became known as Athlii Gwaii, and brought worldwide attention to the issues of Haida title, the environment and economic matters. The Haida Nation, along with thousands of its allies and friends, held firm in the face of legal consequences, and this unity brought both the federal and provincial government to the negotiation table.
South Moresby Agreement
In 1988, the South Moresby Agreement was signed by Canada and the Province of BC, which halted the logging and designated the area as a National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. Colonial understanding of land ownership dictated that Canada had to “buy out” the Province of BC’s administration, control and benefits of the forests and lands of Gwaii Haanas. A portion of the money in this agreement – $38.2 million – was earmarked to create a QCI Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) fund. Another $24 million from both the federal and provincial government became the South Moresby Forest Replacement Account (SMFRA). These monies were to be controlled and spent by the federal bureaucrats within a six to eight year time frame, based on “advice” from select Haida Gwaii communities in the form of the Residents Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC). This was made up of two representatives of Masset, Port Clements, Daajing Giids, and Sandspit. The Haida Nation was not party to this agreement and let it be known that they did not agree with it. The formal agreement between the Haida Nation and Canada would come later under the Gwaii Haanas Agreement in 1993.
Gwaii Trust Interim Planning Society
The RPAC originally had two positions allocated to the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN), but this was boycotted by the CHN due to the “advisory” nature of the committee. This was a part of a broader jurisdictional struggle against the Federal and Provincial governments’ refusal to acknowledge the Haida Nation. The CHN appointed G̲iitsx̲aa Ron Wilson as an observer and he worked with the RPAC to come to a better understanding of the CHN’s position. In spite of the legislative hostilities, colonial thinking, and racism, the RPAC, CHN, and the band councils came to an unbinding accord. Through the months of difficult work and determination, it became clear that the people of Haida Gwaii preferred a locally-controlled perpetual fund rather than a six-year spending spree. A group of eight people, with equal representation of both Haida and non-Haida members – Miles Richardson Jr and Frank Collison, representatives of the CHN; Michael Nicoll Yagulanaas and Paul Pearson, Chief Councilors of Old Massett and Skidegate; Dave Penna and David Wilson, mayors of Masset and Port Clements; Mary Morris and Duane Gould, representatives of Queen Charlotte Electoral Area D (QC and rural Graham Island) and Area E (Sandspit) became the Gwaii Trust Interim Planning Society (GTIPS), and was established in accordance with the Society Act of British Columbia in November 1991. Its purpose was to develop a permanent model for a locally-controlled, interest-generating fund for the benefit of both Haida and non-Haida communities together.
Gwaii Trust Society
The Gwaii Trust Society was formalized in September 1994 to operate the perpetual Gwaii Trust Fund, and the GTIPS was dissolved as a society. This was the first time a cross-cultural, Indigenous and non-Indigenous community trust had been created in Canada. It had many detractors, but it brought people together in a way that had never been tried before. The REDI fund was repatriated to Haida Gwaii in full under the managements of the Gwaii Trust Society. The SMFRA fund was governed under different aspics, and you can find out information about that process here.
Our Beginnings
The Society started out with $38.2 million contributed by the federal government. The core money plus annual inflation is restricted, meaning it can never be spent. The fund is invested in equities, bonds, infrastructure, direct lending, and mortgage/real estate funds, and generates millions of dollars in interest income every year. A portion of that yearly income is reinvested to protect the core value from inflation, and to grow the perpetual fund. The rest is distributed to our communities, non-profits on Haida Gwaii, and island residents through our grant programs.
The Gwaii Trust Society values and believes in:
- fairness and equity
- effective communication
- willingness to change
- building and demonstrating trust
- a holistic approach to a healthy Islands community
- consensuses decision-making
- credibility
- collaborative problem solving