The leader of a First Nation in the Great Bear Rainforest has expressed concerns that B.C. Premier David Eby’s potential changes to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act could jeopardize trust with Indigenous communities and perpetuate racism.
Eby is considering amendments to the act following a B.C. Appeal Court ruling in favor of a First Nation challenging the province’s mining tenure system, which aligns with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Chief councillor Chris McKnight of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation penned an open letter to Eby, emphasizing the significance of the declaration act as a symbol of reconciliation and a call for needed societal changes.
McKnight warns that altering the act might trigger negative stereotypes about Indigenous Peoples and shift blame away from those who have not respected the law.
He stresses that resorting to legal action is a final recourse for First Nations and that the court decision will not lead to more litigation.
Expressing doubt about Eby’s commitment to unity, McKnight questions whether the government truly stands in solidarity with Indigenous communities or seeks to set its own rules without accountability.