Latest News

News Release
October 22, 2026

Carney Government Regresses on Women's Rights: Bill S-2 Delayed at Committee Stage

Anishinaabe Algonquin Territory / Ottawa, O.N. – October 22, 2026 

The Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) voted today, stalling advancement to a clause-by-clause review of Bill S-2 An Act to Amend the Indian Act, and further delaying long-overdue action to address sex- and race-based discrimination in the Indian Act. The Indian Act Sex Discrimination Working Group travelled from across the country to Ottawa this week and is calling on Prime Minister Carney and his caucus to advance Bill S-2, as amended by the Senate, to finally end the second-generation cut-off —  a longstanding human rights violation. 

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: First Nations Women Call on PM Carney to End the Separation of First Nations Families by Enacting Historic Bill

Anishinaabe Algonquin Territory / Ottawa, O.N. – October 21, 2026
 
First Nations women, Chiefs, Parliamentarians and human rights leaders gathered at Parliament Hill today, calling on the Liberal government to urgently pass Bill S-2 as amended by the Senate, and finally put an end to Canada’s 150-year colonial policy of dividing First Nations families.

News Release    
Oct. 16, 2026

FNLC CONDEMNS RACIST REMARKS BY BC CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE CALLING FOR FIRST NATIONS TO BE “CONQUERED”

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) is loudly denouncing the deeply racist remarks made by Conservative Party of BC candidate for Juan de Fuca–Malahat Mike Hicks, who stated during a local election debate that First Nations needed to be “conquered.” Such language invokes a violent history of colonialism, dispossession, and attempted assimilation, and reflects deeply troubling attitudes toward First Nations peoples. The FNLC unequivocally rejects this rhetoric and calls on Hicks and the Conservative Party of B.C. leadership to publicly retract these remarks.

The Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty
Minister of Indigenous Services Canada
Email Only:

 Open Letter: UBCIC Opposition to Bill C-37 – First Nations Clean Water Legislation

Dear Minister Gull-Masty:

The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) expresses its strong opposition to Bill C-37, An Act respecting water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on First Nation lands, in its current form. While UBCIC recognizes the urgent need for legislation that guarantees First Nations' access to clean and safe drinking water, Bill C-37 fails to adequately recognize and uphold First Nations' inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights, and jurisdiction over their lands, waters, and resources. UBCIC cannot support the legislation as currently drafted and calls on Canada to undertake substantial amendments before advancing the Bill.

News Release
October 13, 2026

UBCIC Demands the Removal of Conservative Candidate John Henderson in Powell River-Sunshine Coast

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – October 13, 2026) The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is calling for the immediate removal of candidate John Henderson, who brought the book Grave Error to the Sechelt municipal hall while he was Mayor in 2024, and discussed with senior staff. The book calls into question widely documented evidence of the horrendous truths of Indian Residential Schools and has been criticized and rejected broadly including by the UBCIC Chiefs Council through resolution.

News Release
October 1, 2026

UBCIC Rejects “National Interest” Designation for Toxic West Coast Oil “Pacific Link” Pipeline 

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – October 1, 2026) Today, the federal government announced designation of the West Coast Oil “Pacific Link” Pipeline (Pacific Link pipeline) as a project of national interest, despite an incomplete consultation process that ignored First Nations inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights, and that ignored the dangerous impacts of increased fossil fuel extraction and transmission. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) reiterates that First Nations’ title and rights cannot be set aside to meet a political timeline, and that opposition from affected Nations must be respected.

News Release
September 30, 2026

Court Reaffirms Importance of Confronting Residential School Denialism ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/ Vancouver, B.C. – September 30, 2026) The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) recognizes National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day with condemnation of residential school denialism and renewed calls for public education on the history of residential schools, legal protections from denialism, safety and support for survivors.  

News Release
September 29, 2026

First Nations Leadership Council Condemns White Nationalist Activity in Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Territory 

(xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) was disgusted and angered to learn of the stark demonstration of racialized hate apparently associated with the white nationalist and supremacist group “Second Sons” on Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc reserve lands on September 27, 2026, the anonymous cowards were seen holding a banner that said, “Got Bones?”, seemingly questioning the well documented existence of unmarked graves at the sites of former Indian Residential Schools. The FNLC stands with and supports Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc as they deal with the fallout of this despicable act, and call on Prime Minister Mark Carney and B.C. Premier David Eby to join events hosted by Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.