What is Nen Ch'eh (Land Code)?
A Land Code is the land law developed by our own community for managing our reserve lands. It will replace the 44 land management sections of the Indian Act that currently enables the federal government to manage our lands.
Our Land Code is called Nen Ch'eh, it is "the land's way".
Nen Ch'eh will return jurisdiction over our reserve lands back to our community!
(Links to the below "Blue Buttons" are coming soon)
About Nen Ch'eh
Why would we want to manage our own lands?
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada (CIRNAC and ISC... the old INAC) would no longer be involved in the management of our reserve lands.
With Nen Ch'eh in place, Xeni Gwet'in First Nations will have independent control over our own reserve, making it community-driven, for our people ~ by our people.
The Xeni Gwet'in First Nations Nen Ch'eh, if approved by our membership, will empower us to go back to the ways we used to manage our lands, teachings, and practices. No more delays. No more red tape! Xeni Gwet'in First Nations would no longer need to wait on ISC/CIRNAC, we would control our own projects, completing them on our own schedule.
Nen Ch'eh lays out a number of important governing functions, which include transparency and accountability to the membership in all decisions relating to our lands. Nen Ch'eh is "the people's land law", and not a tool that can only be used by a chosen few.
What needs to be done?
The XGFNG Nenqay Department will be organizing a number of information events and meeting sessions in order to receive direction from the community on what provisions to include in Nen Ch'eh. Drafts of the Land Code will then be written by the Nenqay Department and resubmitted to the community for input at future meetings. When the final version of Nen Ch'eh is developed, it will then go to a community vote.
All voting-aged members of Xeni Gwet'in First Nations have the right to vote on Nen Ch'eh.
Membership participation is vital to the success of this historic document.
Nen Ch'eh will give us back the authority to govern our lands and resources.
It will strip those powers and responsibilities away from the federal government and place them back into the community, for this generation and the ones to come.
If you have any comments or questions don’t hesitate to contact us! Share with your friends, family, and neighbours! We will continue to update this website with important information on Nen Ch'eh.
Important Documents
Xeni Gwet'in First Nation Nen Ch'eh
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Land Code Summary - coming soon!
Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management
First Nations Land Management Act
Individual Agreement
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Full Version - coming soon!
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Summary - coming soon!
Community Ratification Document
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Full Version - coming soon!
As of January 1, 2021, there are 231 First Nations across Canada (signatories and wait-listed First Nations) that are involved in the Framework Agreement. 99 of these are Operational First Nations - those who have already passed their own Land Codes and are now governing with their own land law.
Click on the map for a closer view of where some of these First Nations are located, or here for a full list of participating communities.
What other First Nations are involved with Land Code through the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management?
