Latest News

NEWS RELEASE
June 19, 2020

First Nations leadership outraged by racist behavior of ER doctors and staff

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) — The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) is dismayed with the circumstances surrounding the investigation announced this morning by Health Minister Adrian Dix, specifically related to a “game” to guess the intoxication level of Indigenous and other Emergency Room (ER) patients.

 UN Questionnaire: Impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples

Submission to:

Francisco Cali Tzay, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples

June 19, 2020

QUESTIONS

1. How does the State collect and analyse information on the impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples and individuals? Is disaggregated data on indigenous peoples, including health impacts, available?

• Disaggregated data on Indigenous people who have tested positive for COVID-19 is publicly available online from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), and tracking is updated weekly for the number of hospitalizations, recovered cases, and deaths.[1] The data is further disaggregated to reflect cases by region, age group, and sex. [2]
• Provincial chief public health officers work with ISC regional medical officers and nurses to track reported cases of COVID-19 for Indigenous peoples. On May 9, 2020, ISC announced $250,000 of dedicated funding to improve data collection for Indigenous peoples impacted by COVID-19, acknowledging previously available data was insufficient.
• Indigenous community members and independent researchers have indicated further weaknesses in data collection are linked to the “distinctions-based” approach used by ISC. Indigenous peoples are not exhaustively reflected in reports of cases on-reserve, which is the primary focus of ISC data collection. Research published May 12, 2020 from the Yellowhead Institute indicated significant data discrepancies in total cases reported by ISC as compared to cumulative publicly available data from sources including media reports, Band Council updates, local reports, and obituaries, in addition to independent verification. 
• The discrepancy - 175 cases recorded by ISC at time of publishing, 465 by the Institute – points to a lack of consistent data collection by public health agencies across Canada.
• Public health agencies’ relationships with local Indigenous peoples vary greatly across health jurisdictions, and many public health agencies do not collect disaggregated data including racial or ethnic identity at all.[3]
• Importantly, data on cases disaggregated by community/First Nation was not made available to Indigenous leaders throughout the pandemic, which raised concerns about the ability of First Nations to take precautions to protect members from community spread.[4]

News Release
June 16, 2020

UBCIC Statement on Police Raid of Namegan/CRAB Park Tent City

((Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – June 16, 2020) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) stands in solidarity and shared outrage with the residents of Namegan/CRAB Park Tent City who were forcefully displaced this morning. The Province of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver have continued their pattern of prioritizing corporate interests and colonial property over the lives and safety of unhoused community members.

Indigenous Leaders and Environmental Groups Demand Independent Federal and BC Investigation into Safety of Existing TMX Pipeline After Latest Oil Spill

“The federal government investigating itself is clearly not an option,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC

For Immediate Release

(Sema:th Territory/ Abbotsford– June 16, 2020), Vancouver- Indigenous leaders and environmental groups in British Columbia are asking the Federal and BC governments to launch an independent, Indigenous-led expert investigation into the safety and integrity of the existing 67-year-old Trans Mountain pipeline after a 150,000 litre oil spill over the weekend. It is the pipeline’s 85th spill. Indigenous leaders and groups are also asking for a moratorium on construction for the new pipeline.

News Release
June 14, 2020

Stop TMX: Devastating Trans Mountain Pipeline Spill Reinforces Urgency to Halt Further Expansion

(Sema:th Territory/ Abbotsford– June 14, 2020) Indigenous leaders are demanding answers and raising alarm following another Trans Mountain pipeline spill, which took place early yesterday morning in Abbotsford.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Organizations Call on Mayor Kennedy Stewart to Implement Immediate Ban on Racist Police Street Checks in Vancouver

June 10, 2020, (xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, BC – The BC Civil Liberties Association, Union of BC Indian Chiefs, and Hogan’s Alley Society are calling on Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, who is also the Vancouver Police Board Chair and Board Spokesperson, to immediately put a stop to police street checks in Vancouver.

BC First Nations Justice Council
British Columbia Assembly of First Nations
Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
First Nations Summit

Indigenous leaders condemn Police actions in death of Chantel Moore
The young Nuu-chah-nulth mother had recently moved to Edmundston

(xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, BC – First Nations leadership across BC is united in calling for a full and timely investigation in the matter of the police-involved death of Chantel Moore.

Chantel Moore died at the hands of police last night in Edmundston, New Brunswick.

Ministry of Education
Ministry of Children and Family Development
Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training
First Nations Education Steering Committee
First Nations Leadership Council

June 4, 2020

Improving outcomes for First Nations children in care

VICTORIA - Indigenous children and youth in government care and former youth in care are entitled to consistent and reliable support at school, home and in their communities, to ensure they get the most out of their school years and are set up for success in life.

The First Nations Children and Youth in Care Protocol, signed May 26, 2020, commits the Province and First Nations to work together to engage in dialogue and joint action on specific issues and initiatives, seeking to improve the educational outcomes and well-being of Indigenous children and youth in care, and former youth in care through legislative, policy and practice reform.