▁S ini xt ▁people ▁still ▁being ▁alive . ▁It ▁is ▁question able ▁the ▁timing ▁of ▁label ing ▁these ▁people ▁ext inct , ▁with ▁the ▁quick ▁follow ▁up ▁of ▁signing ▁the ▁Columbia ▁River ▁Tre at ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁after . ▁With ▁that ▁in ▁mind ▁Indian ▁Affairs ▁of ▁Canada ▁had ▁to ▁power ▁to ▁possibly ▁influence ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁the ▁d ams ▁in ▁particular ▁the ▁Lib by ▁and ▁Ward ner ▁Dam ▁and ▁potential ▁cost ▁of ▁replacement ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁" reh abil it ating ▁Indians ". ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁push ▁to ▁assim il ate ▁First ▁Nations ▁people ▁into ▁a ▁c ash ▁based ▁economy , ▁and ▁no ▁res erves ▁being ▁phys ically ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁d ams , ▁Indian ▁Affairs ▁had ▁minimal ▁participation ▁and ▁influence . ▁Once ▁again , ▁like ▁BC ▁H ydro , ▁Indian ▁Affairs ▁dis reg arded ▁hunting , ▁fish ing , ▁gather ing , ▁and ▁sacred ▁grounds ▁as ▁having ▁either ▁material , ▁emot ional ▁or ▁spiritual ▁significance ▁to ▁First ▁Nations ▁people . ▁ ▁Provin cial ▁ ▁The ▁objective ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁J oint ▁Commission ▁( I J C ), ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Columbia ▁River ▁Bas in , ▁was ▁to ▁accomplish ▁with ▁the ▁Columbia ▁River ▁Tre aty ▁( CR T ) ▁what ▁would ▁not ▁have ▁been ▁possible ▁through ▁either ▁British ▁Columbia ▁or ▁the ▁U . S . ▁operating ▁individually . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁expected ▁that ▁either ▁additional ▁costs ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁avoided ▁or ▁additional ▁benefits ▁gained ▁by ▁the ▁co operation ▁between ▁BC / Can ada ▁and ▁the ▁US .