"This handbook was prepared jointly by the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the B.C. Teachers' Federation, the Tripartite Public Education Committee, and with support from the B.C. Treaty Commission. It is intended to be a resource for teachers, primarily to assist them in responding to questions and to facilitate discussions about the treaty process which may arise in the classroom setting. Fundamentally, this handbook is based upon the notion of providing comfort through information; it attempts to dispel some of the common myths and misunderstandings associated with treaties and the B.C. Treaty Process, and to explain how the process works.

This handbook provides basic information about treaties. It outlines some of the reasons for the establishment of the treaty process, as well as some of the reasons why First Nations have and have not chosen to participate in the process. This handbook also highlights some of the issues treaties may help to resolve, and the contribution the treaty process may have to the building of more positive relationships between First Nations and non-Aboriginal people. The materials included outline the role of the B.C. Treaty Commission, the process of negotiations, and some of the challenges and opportunities which are being highlighted through the treaty process.

It should be noted that in this handbook generalizations may be made in order to introduce complex issues in an understandable way. It is important to remember that First Nations people in Canada are enormously diverse in terms of their goals, languages, cultures, and traditions" ("Preface," British Columbia Teachers' Federation).