British Columbia Premier David Eby says he will stake his government on suspending sections of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act for up to three years.
Speaking after a meeting with First Nations leaders, Eby says his government will pass legislation this session to suspend sections of the law that place the province at the greatest legal risk, in light of a court ruling that cited DRIPA and raised questions about B.C.’s mining rules.
A source who attended the meeting says there was “complete opposition” to the suspension plan from First Nations in attendance.
Heiltsuk Chief Marilyn Slett tells 1130 NewsRadio Indigenous leaders are adamant that they won’t agree to the premier’s request.
“We think that the tools to be able to get through this are in the legislation, are within the action plan, and we need to be working together and doing that hard work together,” she said.
“We’ve had we have a history between the Crown and and our First Nation communities and our people that is very difficult.”
Slett says she thinks of the challenges her 88-year-old father has faced in his lifetime, and says today’s announcement feels like we are going backwards in time.
“He grew up under the potlatch ban,” she said, referring to a federal ban, which ran from the late 1800s until 1951, on First Nations performing some traditional ceremonies.
“He grew up under not being able to vote. He grew up with the lobbying that, you know, you could not hire a lawyer.”
Eby says the suspension will be a confidence vote on his government, and he hopes First Nations leaders will at least tolerate the pause as the government appeals the mineral tenure case to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Eby did not identify which sections would be suspended, but says a pause is the “least invasive way possible” to find a path forward, while protecting the province from immediate legal exposure.
He says other sections of DRIPA will remain in effect.
Two sources attending the meeting had earlier told The Canadian Press of the suspension plan.
With files from Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press, and Dean Recksiedler.
