The UBCIC Early Claims Process

A springboard

“Records Follow Functions” Quote by Helene Samuels

• The Early Claims Procedure is a record of other records – its function is to document documents

• Know what events are pushing the procedure forward

• Events change!

• Just when you’ve worked out the best way to do something is probably when you need to start amending it

What pushes the early claims process?

An increasing number of claims

Reduced funding

Reduced staff

Increased workload for Minimum Standards requirements

Increasing difficulty with access to records

Lengthy response times for retrieval of ATIP and FOI records

Push creates a Need to…

Efficiently allocate limited resources

Maintain high standards

Manage our time as efficiently as possible

Make sure all claims receive the same rigorous research and early review

Create a clear corporate memory in case of staff turnover

Intake

To Researcher

RE Summa

ry

IDR

EDR

Intake: Open and Meaningful communication

Initial contact

Contact First Nations Community and our own Legal Advisor

Start the written record

Feasibility report if necessary

BCR – mandate to research

Early Document Review (EDR)Common Ground for all BC Claims

All claims require a basic Reserve Establishment history for foundational

information

EDR collects preliminary research

Relevant to all RE

histories in BC

Work is tracked in a

Research Plan

Order AANDC Files right about

now,

because you’ll be waiting

a long time….

Just one more box…..

Federal Records Centre, Burnaby.

Storage facility for the Federal Government and LAC

Names of all Reserves

Land & Water Districts

Geographical location of

First Nation’s Reserves

Reserve codes from First Nations

Profiles - AANDC

For EDRWe identify and record….

We search collections and record

Index of Indian Agencies – Paula Caird’s Finding Aid 10-202 part 1

Reserve Schedules and NRCan Canada Lands Inventories

Department of Indian Affairs Annual Reports

Provincial Collection of Minutes of Decision, Correspondence and Sketches (J/IRC)

Federal Collection of MOD, Correspondence and Sketches

Final Report of the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs for the Province of BC (McKenna-McBride)

Testimony and Hearings of the Royal commission

Is reserv

e within

the Railway Belt?

Yes Record

and find related

IR Schedul

e

No – Record &

on to the next

Do we have other resear

ch reports for this First

Nation?

Yes Find them

!

Order boxes from

off site storag

e

Search the

database

We answer questions….

Intermediate Document Review (IDR) - the next stage…

RE Summary

RAAD, BC Arch Library

IDR

Location, Names, Places, FN Profiles

(EDR)

IR Schedules & Annual Reports(EDR)

EndNote DB entries

IDR

IR Commissions, MODs, Surveys & Field Books

(EDR)

InstrumentsIDR

For IDRWe search and record

ILRS - The Indian Lands Registry System for legal instruments on the reserves

CLSS - Canada Lands Survey System for surveys, field books and map browser pertaining to the reserves

RAAD - Remote Access to Archaeological Data for Arch sites

BC Archaeological Library for Arch reports and articles

Enter all references into an EndNote Library

High Bar Reserves – Archaeological Sites on RAAD

Together, the documents….

And the history….

Come together to make aReserve Establishment Summary

Incorporate initial reserve establishment information into template

Creates a basic narrative which will be the backbone of claim

Summary to pass on to Legal advisor and First Nation

Good basis for researcher to work with

Research Assistant acquires skills