Latest News

Statement
March 6, 2025

UBCIC Mourns the Passing of Kukpwi7 Mike Leach

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – March 6, 2025) The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) offers our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community of Kukpwi7 Mike Leach of the Lillooet Tribe and Stl’atl’imx Nation. We honour and remember Mike’s decades of dedicated service and leadership, from his early work as the Co-ordinator of the Union’s Fire Prevention Programme in 1971 to his invaluable contributions to protecting and advancing Indigenous fishing rights. Mike’s commitment extended across many roles, including his time as Secretary-Treasurer, Executive Member, and Resolution Committee member, where his wisdom and passion guided the UBCIC’s work. Kukpwi7 Mike Leach’s legacy of advocacy, financial stewardship, and unwavering dedication to the rights of First Nations Peoples in B.C. will continue to inspire future generations. Finally, we take this opportunity to acknowledge Mike's strategic Leadership during the 1990 Oka Crisis. We also honour Mike’s vision and tenacity that led to the establishment of the St'at'imc Tribal Police Service.

News Release
February 25, 2025

UBCIC Honours Nir’kus’chin, Steve Basil

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – February 25, 2025) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is deeply saddened with the recent passing of Nir’kus’chin, Steve Basil, a deeply respected and beloved Secwepemc leader from Bonaparte First Nation, and former UBCIC staff member between 1977-1981. Steve’s unwavering commitment to First Nations rights, sovereignty, and stewardship of the land left an indelible mark on all who knew him.

Heiltsuk Nation Launches Charter Challenge Against RCMP for Failure to Enforce Band Council Bylaws

By refusing to enforce Indigenous trespass bylaws, while enforcing property laws in non-Indigenous communities, the RCMP engages in unequal and discriminatory treatment.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (February 25, 2025) – The Heiltsuk Nation has filed a Charter Challenge lawsuit against the RCMP in BC Supreme Court, claiming the force’s ongoing failure to enforce trespass bylaws on Heiltsuk reserve lands, duly enacted under the Indian Act, amounts to unequal and discriminatory treatment that infringes their section 15 Charter rights to receive equal protection and benefit of the law without discrimination.

News Release

February 24, 2025

UBCIC Rejects MLA Dallas Brodie’s Purported ‘Truth-Seeking’ as Racist Residential School Denialism; Calls for Apology to Survivors

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – February 24, 2025) The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is appalled by recent comments made by elected Conservative MLA Dallas Brodie on X (formerly Twitter), which allege that the number of confirmed child burials at former Kamloops Indian Residential School is zero. UBCIC calls on her to apologize for promoting abhorrent rhetoric which minimizes the harms of Residential Schools and for misleading and emboldening the public against Indigenous people.

News Release
February 13, 2025

UBCIC Remembers and Honours Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla, Hereditary Chief Bill Wilson

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – February 13, 2025) The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is mourning the loss of Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla, Hereditary Chief Bill Wilson, a towering figure in the fight for Indigenous rights in Canada. UBCIC extends our deepest condolences to his wife Bev Sellars, his daughters Kory Wilson and Jody Wilson-Raybould, and all his family, friends, and those who knew and respected him. Yesterday, the UBCIC Chiefs Council honoured Chief Bill Wilson and his contributions to our organization and the nation as a whole, with Chief Wilson’s family present.

News Release 
February 6, 2025

FNLC Denounces President Trump’s Since-Postponed Imposition of Tariffs; Demands any Response Respect First Nations’ Title and Rights

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) denounces the Trump administration’s since-postponed imposition of tariffs on imports from Canada and demands that any response by the governments of British Columbia and Canada respect and uphold the inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights and jurisdictions of First Nations.

News Release
January 22, 2025

UBCIC Reaffirms Opposition to Fossil Fuel Pipelines and Clarifies Position on Natural Resource Development

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – January 22, 2025) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) has a long history of resolutions from the Chiefs Council opposing large scale destructive resource projects including Enbridge Northern Gateway and the proposed Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline- this mandate has not changed, and the answer is still no.

News Release    

January 20, 2025

Standing With Gitxaala and Ehattesaht Nations in Upholding the Process of Legislative Reconciliation under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) and British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) stand together with Gitxaala Nation and Ehattesaht First Nation as the hearing of the Nations’ appeals in relation to the Province’s Mineral Tenure Act regime begins in the BC Court of Appeal today.