It is ironic that as british co-lumbia’s economy appears set for another year of strong growth, the province and its government are entering a critical phase in dealing with what many consider a major stumbling block to its longer-term economic growth — the lack of signed treaties with its First Nations.

This failure has created significant uncertainty, especially in the resources sector, in which unsettled Native land claims often make mining and forestry companies reluctant to invest millions of development dollars on vast lands of which ultimate ownership and control remain in doubt.

That’s why Premier Gordon Campbell did a dramatic political turnaround several years ago, after his Liberal party formed its first government. He switched from being a forceful Opposition opponent of the former NDP government’s treaty negotiations to an enthusiastic supporter of the process — to the point at which he has now grasped this file the way a born-again Christian grasps a Bible.

Pushed relentlessly by the premier’s office, the provincial and federal governments are now involved in 47 sets of treaty negotiations and have reached final agreements in principal with three Native groups — the Maa-nulth First Nations of Vancouver Island, the Lheidli T’enneh Band of Prince George and the Tsawwassen First Nations in the Greater Vancouver suburb of Delta.

All three deals are subject to ratification by the individual Native communities, as well as by Ottawa and Victoria. Ratification would take place late this year at the earliest.

However, ratification may not be as routine as one would suppose. The signings — especially the Tsawwassen agreement — have raised human rights issues.

Critics charge that the Campbell government has sometimes trampled on the rights of others in order to give Native people their rightful place in B.C. society.

Most people agree that signing treaties will bring stability to the province’s resources-based economy, and that the goal of bringing Native peoples into Canadian mainstream society as equal partners, economically and otherwise, can and must be done. But some proposed settlements — such as B.C.’s first urban-area agreement with the Tsawwassen — have raised concerns.

This agreement transfers a significant amount of land in Delta out of the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve and into the hands of the band, for which it will be converted to industrial use to serve the nearby Deltaport’s expansion.

About 700 people who own homes on this property through leases will lose their right to vote in Delta municipal elections. In fact, critics point out, they’ll have virtually no democratic status once the band takes control.

A side agreement also gives the Tsaw-wassen band certain salmon-fishing rights on the Fraser River, which is in direct contrast to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s statement last year that there will not be a “race-based” fishery in Canada.

Further, some rights that negotiators granted the Tsawwassen include lands that other Native groups claim as their own.

One of the most outspoken treaty critics is the Tory MP from Delta-East Richmond, John Cummins. Despite his government’s negotiators signing the Tsawwassen agreement, Cummins is crying foul: “This treaty offends the very basic tenets and principles on which British Columbia and Canada operate.”

Even some Tsawwassen band members are speaking out against the treaty. The treaty also removes the band’s tax-exempt status over time, but new details show the B.C. government will return 50% of the provincial income and sales tax revenue it collects from the Tsawwassen and 100% of real property taxes collected from anyone living on their lands. Ottawa is expected to follow suit on its tax collections as well.

And both Natives and non-Natives are concerned that the treaty negotiation process has been done behind closed doors.

Campbell says these three agreements will “bring stability and confidence” to the province. But, as Native and non-Native British Columbians learn more details of these treaties, they’re beginning to see a few devils. IE