| The area of British Columbia south of Prince George, between the Coast Range and the Monashee Mountains, is known as the southern interior. Here, government of British Columbia representatives in the Ministry of Forests, the aboriginal people, and forest industry licence-holders are in conflict over control of land and natural resources.; The objective of this paper is to investigate this conflict by viewing the current situation through the lens of internationally-based conflict theory. Examination of the matter in a broad context may create a new perspective on what has become a personal issue for some of those people involved in building a new, collaborative future for British Columbia.; Community leaders from First Nations, the forest industry, and the Ministry of Forests were interviewed to focus investigations on the research question: "Is the conflict over land and resources in the southern interior of BC an identity based, protracted social conflict that is moving toward intractability?"; Research results lead to a recommendation to separate identity and interest based issues. Identity issues, hinging on land ownership questions, will best be settled by courts, and will require strategic guidance from government. Interest based issues can be approached at the community level, within current legislation, through a form of two-track diplomacy, followed by facilitated, interactive, conflict resolutions sessions. |
