Lheidli T'enneh

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Lheidli T'enneh is the Indian band whose traditional territory includes the city of Prince George, British Columbia. The name means "People of the Confluence" in the Carrier language and refers to the fact that the Nechako River enters the Fraser River at Prince George. The band was previously known as the Fort George Indian Band.

The Lheidli T'enneh are Carrier people. Their traditional language, now spoken only by a few people, is a dialect of the Carrier language.

On October 29, 2006 the Lheidli T'enneh became the first people to initial a treaty with British Columbia and Canada within the framework of the British Columbia Treaty Process created in response to the Delgamuukw case. It remains for the treaty to be ratified by a vote of Lheidli T'enneh band members, by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, and by the Canadian Parliament.

On February 9, 2007 the Treaty 8 First Nations launched a legal challenge of the ratification of Lheidli T'enneh. The Treaty 8 First Nations asserted that Canada, British Columbia and the Lheidli T'enneh did not adequately consult them about the overlap of the Lheidli T'enneh treay area and the area of Treaty 8.

The Treaty 8 First Nations sought an interlocutory injunction preventing the ratification of the treaty until such time as the parties resolves the issues of the overlap. Justice Wilson of the Supreme Court of British Columbia denied the plaintiff's application for an interlocutory injunction.

A similar challenge was launched by the Secwepemc Nation on March 12, 2007.

The Lheidli T'enneh band members did not ratify the treaty in a treaty ratification vote held on March 30, 2007. In the vote 123 people voted against the treaty and 111 voted in favor of it.

As a result, the British Columbia Treaty Commission is calling for a probe of the vote to determine why the treaty was not ratified.