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The names wouldn't replace the existing ones, but would "stand beside them as a co-naming initiative," Attorney General Geoff Plant.

Members of the First Nations Summit and the B.C. government signed a protocol agreement in September to try to keep the government and First Nations discussing issues to improve natives' lives as the two sides negotiate treaties.

But as part of a process to get there - and to show good faith on the way - the two sides also agreed to talk about something immediately tangible: double place names.

"I think there is room for us to make some progress by starting to remember that there was a presence on this landscape long before we were here," said Plant, the minister responsible for treaty negotiations.

The First Nations Summit was set up as part of the B.C. Treaty Commission process. It represents dozens of bands involved in treaty negotiations in a province where few treaties were ever signed.

As an example, Plant said while in Powell River earlier this year he noticed a historical sign at a local pulp mill made no mention of the local Indian tribes, including Sliammon First Nation.

"There is no mention on that sign, anywhere, of the fact that there were aboriginal people there for hundreds or thousands of years before a pulp mill was ever put there.

"I think it's past time that we started doing some things to recognize, to do more to recognize," Plant said.

Ed John, an executive member of the First Nations Summit, agrees native names should be returned because they are "tied into our beliefs and those names are still there.

"So an approach towards recognizing First Nations placenames is a commitment they've (the government) put forward," he said.

Although the historic Nisga'a Nation treaty in northwestern B.C. was signed outside the treaty commission process, the federal and B.C. and Nisga'a agreed to many place name changes to reflect Nisga'a history.

The four communities along the Nass River, where most Nisga'a reside, used to be called Kincolith, Greenville, Canyon City and New Aiyansh.

Those names have been changed to Gingolx, Laxgalts'ap, Gitwinksihlkw and Wii Lax Kap.

The Nass River is known in the Nisga'a territory as K'alii Aksim Lisims.