Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to stand up in Parliament on Monday and announce that Canada is exonerating the six Tsilhqot鈥檌n war chiefs that were hanged in 1864 and 1865.
鈥淎 Tsilhqot鈥檌n delegation will be journeying to Ottawa to witness Canada acknowledge that our war chiefs did no wrong and were heroes protecting their land during the Chilcotin War of 1864 and 65,鈥� said Tsilhqot鈥檌n National Government chair Chief Joe Alphonse.
According to a news release issued by the TNG, the chiefs that perished on Oct. 26, 1864 near Quesnel were Head War Chief Lhats鈥檃s?in (Lhas-awss-een); Chief Biyil (pe-yal); Chief Tellot (tay-lot); Chief Tahpitt (ta-peet); Chief Chayses (chay-sus); and Chief Ahan (a-han) who was hanged in New Westminister in 1865.
鈥淯nder the threat of smallpox and further loss of people and land, the Tsilhqot鈥檌n declared war,鈥� the release noted. 鈥淎t dawn on April 30, 1864, the group of Tsilhqot鈥檌n warriors, led by Lhats鈥檃s?in, attacked and killed most of the men making up the camp of the road crew. The Tsilhqot鈥檌n party suffered no casualties.鈥�
On July 20, 1864, unable to persuade any Tsilhqot鈥檌n to betray the war party and out of rations, the Governor made plans to withdraw in defeat.
That afternoon, a Tsilhqot鈥檌n diplomatic party came to his camp.
This, finally, was the first ever meeting between Tsilhqot鈥檌n and Colonial representatives.
Later, Lhats鈥檃s?in and seven others came unarmed for a discussion of peace on August 15, 1864, and the Governor was not there. At the meeting, the chiefs were instead arrested, and later hanged.
The sixth, Ahan, was hanged July 18, 1865.
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Speaking to his community during a recent justice forum, Alphonse said it鈥檚 a unique time for First Nations in Canada鈥檚 history.
As Tsilhqot鈥檌n, they won Aboriginal title and have been working with the province of British Columbia through ongoing talks, but the relationship with the federal government needs further work, he said.
In September 2014, then Premier Christy Clark visited Xeni Gwet鈥檌n First Nation title land and signed a letter of understanding with the Tsilhqot鈥檌n chiefs that committed the province to working in partnership with the Tsilhqot鈥檌n to implement the Supreme Court of Canada rights and title decision.
Clark followed up her commitment in October 2014 by making a formal apology in the legislature to the Tsilhqot鈥檌n Nation for the hanging of the chiefs.
After that, Alphonse said he told the federal government the Tsilhqot鈥檌n would not work with them until the war chiefs were exonerated by them as well.
鈥淲e finally got a commitment. It鈥檚 been 154 years in the making.鈥�
The second phase will be to have Trudeau come to title lands to exonerate the war chiefs in front of all the Tsilhqot鈥檌n people, Alphonse added.
There will be a live stream on Monday of his announcement in Parliament at 12:30 p.m.
With files from the Tsilhqot鈥檌n National Government
Last weekend Alphonse and other leaders travelled to the war chiefs鈥� burial site near Quesnel and filmed a video about it.
