March 14, 2019
Senators of Canada
The Senate of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A4
OPEN LETTER RE. Support for the Immediate Passing of Bill C-262
Dear Senators,
The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is calling on each Senator of Canada to pass Bill C-262, An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, without delay.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, in Call to Action #43, called upon the “federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the framework for reconciliation” (emphasis added)
Bill C-262 was passed in the House of Commons on May 30, 2018, with the overwhelming majority of votes cast in support of the bill.
Bill C-262 must not be stalled in the Senate. With a looming federal election, there is a substantial and unacceptable risk that the bill may miss the legislative window.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly in September 2007 after more than 20 years of discussions. Canada has delayed the implementation and recognition of the international human rights standards of Indigenous peoples for far too long.
The UBCIC is calling on the Senate of Canada to immediately pass Bill C-262 and to begin the initial work of implementing the UN Declaration, the most comprehensive, universal international human rights instrument explicitly addressing the economic, social, cultural, political, spiritual and environmental rights of Indigenous Peoples.
This spring the UBCIC passed Resolution 2019-05 to fully support Bill C-262, to call upon all members of Senate to immediately pass the bill and to develop and launch a public advocacy campaign to encourage the immediate passing of the bill.
On behalf of the UNION OF BC INDIAN CHIEFS
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
President
Kukpi7 Judy Wilson
Secretary-Treasurer
CC: UBCIC Chiefs Council
MP Romeo Saganash
First Nations Summit
BC Assembly of First Nations
National Chief Perry Bellegarde, National Assembly of First Nations