B.C.’s Minister of Indigenous Relations says that a draft agreement on title and rights in the Wet’suwet’en territory could be signed later this month.

Speaking in Merritt today, Scott Fraser says the contents of the agreement would be made public once it is ratified. “I can’t speak to the timeline. My understanding as of yesterday, was it would be maybe a couple of weeks. But, whenever that happens Minister [of Crown–Indigenous Relations Carolyn] Bennett and I have committed to returning to the territory, we will fly up to Smithers, and we will take part in the signing” Fraser said.

“[It is] so that the good work that will have to happen following to recognize rights and title will happen, and be designed,” he added.

He was asked about what the five Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who are against the Coastal GasLink pipeline, want to see as part of the agreement. “That’s another issue as the Wet’suwet’en are divided, significantly divided on the issue of the Coastal Gas Link project,” Fraser said. ”

All 20 First Nations along the pipeline route have signed agreements and there are major benefits associated with that to help raise communities out of poverty.”

The draft agreement came about after three days of negotiations between five Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and the provincial and federal government. Those meetings followed weeks of protests spurred by opposition from those hereditary chiefs towards the Coastal GasLink pipeline project which was running through Wet’suwet’en traditional territory.