Evidence on the Adequacy of First Nations Consultation - BC Hydro ...

DRAFT REPORT: Rights and Title Interests in the Columbia Valley Transmission Project Area
not the Kinbasket Band had actually settled in the Columbia Valley by the time of the assertion
of British sovereignty in 1846. 130
As noted, this 2007 Ktunaxa by Brian Robertson opines that the Shuswap band has been
“transiting and even hunting in northern portions of Ktunaxa traditional territory since at least the
1820s.” Two sources are given in support of this statement. The first is identified as “Journals of
the Thompson’s River Post [B.97/a-1] and Jasper House [HBCA B.94/a1-3]” and the second is
“the 1845 letter of Father DeSmet.” 131 The author does not point to any specific entry in the
journals to support his proposition. 132 Nor does he state what he means by the phrase “northern
portions of Ktunaxa traditional territory,” an issue that appears unresolved, so it is not clear if he
includes the Columbia Valley Project lands in this statement. Elsewhere (p.23), Robertson does
refer to an 8 November 1822 entry in the Fort Kamloops journal that mentions “the old North
Branch chief...and family are in the habit of going some times to the east side of the Rocky
Mountains and Jaspers House...” and suggests that this man is likely “Yelheela” of the Kinbasket
Shuswap. 133 It should be noted that in Mrs Dehart’s 2006 book, edited by her granddaughter,
there is a confusion in the identification of where “Yelheela” came from. The book states: “A
year or so later the same men were joined by two or three other young men from Chu Chua
(Adams Lake area).” 134 The place known as “Chu Chua” is on the North Thompson, not Adams
Lake, which is near the South Thompson River. Yet in describing the hunters’ route, the book is
clear that “They went right over the mountains near Adams Lake…”. 135 An Adam’s Lake origin
for the man Yelheela is consistent with Mrs Dehart’s 1964 interview with CBC broadcaster,
Imbert Orchard. 136
As reviewed elsewhere (see section 4.1.1 ) in discussing the delineation of the extent of Ktunaxa
lands, the present authors are not aware of any anthropologists who have recognized the “North
Branch” of Thompson River as ever having comprised the northern portion of Ktunaxa territory.
Nevertheless, it may be that Mr. Robertson is referring to an alleged relationship between the
North Thompson Shuswap and a little-known people identified earlier by Alexander Ross as the
“Snare Indians” and concluding that “Yelheela” was a Snare member. One might note that the
130 Robertson 2007, page 22.
131 Robertson 2007, page 22.
132 It is sometimes difficult to assess fully Brian Robertson’s opinion, as he has not always provided
footnotes for some statements said to be based on the historical and ethnographic record, and has not always
referenced information sufficiently well for independent confirmation.
133 Robertson 2007, page 23, fn.59.
134 When the story is summarized in the Shuwap Indian Band 2008 TUS report, “Chu Chua” is mentioned,
but not Adams Lake.
135 Dehart 2006, page 28.
136 Dehart 1964. Mrs Dehart says that she researched the issue with people from the South Thompson and
that the hunters came from Adams Lake. See section 2.2.1 of this present report.
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