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NEWS RELEASE: RCMP shoot First Nations man in Nuu-chah-nulth territory; Indigenous leaders demand answers and change

(Nuu-chah-nulth, Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories – March 1, 2021) The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Pacheedaht First Nation and the First Nations Leadership Council are calling for a fully independent and transparent investigation into a police shooting that has resulted in the death of a 28-year-old member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation on Vancouver Island. The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council must be involved in every step of the investigation.

News Release

February 26, 2021

Greenlighting Site C Violates Horgan Government’s Commitment to Uphold the UN Declaration

((Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – February 26, 2021) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is deeply troubled and angered by the Province of BC’s announcement this morning of their decision to proceed with the beleaguered Site C dam based on government commissioned engineering reports.

News Release 
February 24, 2021

Justice for Kenneth Seymour Michell

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – Feb. 24, 2021) On January 13, 2021, Kenneth Seymour Michell of the Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation left RCMP custody in Williams Lake BC. By January 14th, he had died by suicide. Kenneth’s death was completely preventable, and yet another example of the justice system in Canada failing to protect the lives of Indigenous peoples.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Indigenous Youth Condemn VPD Brutality and Charges Laid for Peaceful Sit-In;  Call on Canada to End Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion

February 22, 2021, (Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C – On Friday February 19, Indigenous youth with the group Braided Warriors were violently removed and arrested by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) after a peaceful sit-in in downtown Vancouver. For the past week, Braided Warriors has been peacefully occupying insurance companies to call on these companies to stop backing the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline project. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Human Rights Complainants Give New VPD Street Check Audit a Failing Grade in Annotated Response; Call on Vancouver Police Board to Ban Street Checks

February 18, 2021, (Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C – A coalition of organizations is giving the Vancouver Police Department’s first annual audit of street checks a failing grade. The VPD audit is being presented to the Vancouver Police Board on Thursday February 18, 2021 at 1 pm.

News Release
February 10, 2020

RCMP’s Alarming Response to Abduction Rumors Exacerbates MMIWG Crisis

((Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – February 10, 2020) Following reports of attempted abductions of women in the Tri-Cities area, Coquitlam RCMP issued a statement on February 6, 2020 that urged people to stop spreading “unproven rumors.” In their response, the RCMP failed to address the fear, mistrust, and colonial forces that compel women to depend on social media mobilization instead of the police for their safety, and ultimately dismissed the deeply rooted fear and trauma that plagues Indigenous women as a result of the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis.

Old growth forests in B.C. remain on the chopping block

Despite a campaign promise to stop logging at-risk old growth forests, giant trees continue to fall on Premier Horgan’s watch

səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Territories (Vancouver, BC) —  Three months after the Horgan government was elected on a promise to implement recommendations for protecting old growth forests, these disappearing giants continue to be logged and might soon be gone forever.

First Nations and Provincial Health Officer Sign COVID-19 Information Sharing Agreements

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA (February 9, 2021) – A coalition of First Nations and BC’s Provincial Health Officer have negotiated and are signing information sharing agreements that provide more detailed information about COVID-19 case numbers in nearby communities, and will enable the nations to make more informed decisions on safety measures, and provide risk guidance to their members.