Lax Kw’alaams First Nation members have voted against adopting the proposed Da’ax Kw’alaams Man-Ayaawx Constitution during a referendum on April 9.
The Lax Kw’alaams Band Council serves as the elected governing body of the Lax Kw’alaams First Nation, located on the northwest coast of British Columbia, near Prince Rupert. The community comprises descendants of the Nine Tribes of the Ts’msyen and has approximately 4,150 members.
Recently, the band council proposed a referendum to vote on a new constitution. They said the constitution aimed to shift away from the Indian Act and move toward greater self-determination and self-governance.
“The voting results did not meet the 60 per cent approval requirement to ratify the Constitution,” said the band council in a recent press release. “If passed, the Constitution would have come into effect on September 30, 2025.”
A total of 1,093 members participated in the referendum from voting centres in Lax Kw’alaams, Prince Rupert and online. Of these, 550 voted against the approval of the Da’ax Kw’alaams Man-Ayaawx Constitution, while 543 voted in favour.
“The Lax Kw’alaams Band will continue to move forward in alignment with the values and aspirations of our membership. We remain committed to ongoing community engagement, transparency, and collective governance as we explore future opportunities to shape our Nation’s direction,” said the Lax Kw’alaams Band Council.
