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(Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver, B.C. – September 26, 2016) On Monday September 26, as part of the Royal Tour Itinerary, the Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia will be hosting the Black Rod Ceremony at Government House. The Honourable Judge Steven Point - Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl – will be supporting the ceremony.

September 22, 2016, Montreal/Vancouver—First Nation and Tribal Chiefs gathered today in Musqueam Territory (Vancouver) and Mohawk Territory (Montreal), to sign a new continent-wide Indigenous Treaty — the Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion — that commits already some 50 First Nations and Tribes from all over Canada and the Northern US to working together to stop all proposed tar sands pipeline, tanker and rail projects in their respective territorial lands and waters.

URGENT REQUEST FOR SUPPORT

Treaty 8 Territory/Peace River Valley/ British Columbia

Our people, Prophet River and West Moberly First Nations, have been fighting the Site C hydroelectric dam project (“the project”) for close to five decades. The project threatens to flood three of the largest rivers in our territory: Peace, Moberly, and Halfway Rivers. Over 107 kilometers of river valleys and their tributaries could be under water including ancient burial sites.

August 19, 2016

Dear Chiefs Council, sister organizations and friends:

Please find the attached briefing note with key points as presented by UBCIC President Grand Chief Stewart Phillip to the Kinder Morgan TMX Project Ministerial Panel on August 18, 2016.

The Briefing Note is pasted below for your convenience; the attached PDF file contains the appendices.

On behalf of our Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Elders, Women & Youth; members of our Chief's Council; we take this opportunity to express our profound sense of shock, sadness and loss in relation  to the untimely passing of Chief Marjorie McRae.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – August 10, 2016) Yesterday marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, yet on this day Vancouver stood witness to violent acts against Indigenous women in their efforts to raise awareness to the environmental devastation caused by Imperial Mines’ Mount Polley tailings dam two years ago. August 4, 2016, marked the second anniversary of the failure of the tailings dam at Mount Polley which is now considered to be the worst mining disaster of its kind in Canadian history. The dam burst flooded Hazeltine Creek with 2.5 billion gallons of contaminated water and 4.5 million cubic meters of metals-laden silt destroying the creek, contaminating Quesnel Lake and endangering the very livelihoods of the many First Nations and non-First Nations communities throughout Secwepemc Territory.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – July 29, 2016) Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Transport Canada have issued federal permits to allow construction of BC Hydro’s Site C dam hydroelectric project to immediately ramp up construction. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in all of his Ministerial Mandate Letters “No relationship is more important to me and to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples. It is time for a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership.”

Dear National Energy Board Members:

We are writing to express our vehement opposition to the National Energy Board (NEB) granting the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project’s sunset clause extension request. We understand that the NEB will be considering Enbridge’s request for a permit extension and is accepting comments from the public before making your decision.