Te'mexw Treaty Association is five  Coast Salish First Nations – Malahat, Songhees (Lekwungen), Nanoose (Snaw'Naw'As), Beecher Bay (Scia'new) and T'Souke. They joined together with one common objective: to support one another and combine forces to work together under one organization to negotiate a treaty under the British Columbia Treaty Process.

All five Nations share common history and culture as well as experiences with the federal and provincial governments. Ancestors from these Nation were among the original signatories of the Douglas Treaties in the 1850s. Malahat leaders signed the North Saanich Treaty February 11, 1852.

James Douglas signed fourteen treaties on Vancouver Island during this period. The Douglas Treaties include nearly 1,000 square kms. (358 square miles) of land around Victoria, Saanich, Sooke, Nanaimo and Port Hardy. These treaties were never honoured or recognized by both the federal and provincial governments.

The objective of Te'mexw Treaty Association is to negotiate a treaty that is acceptable to each individual Nations; a treaty that will sustain us into the future for our children and great grandchildren and the many generations to come.

Malahat’s chief treaty negotiator is Russell Harry and Chief Michael Harry sits on the Te'mexw Treaty Association’s board of directors.

http://www.temexw.org/