NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2018PREM0144-002301

Nov. 29, 2018

Office of the Premier
Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
BC Assembly of First Nations
First Nations Summit
Union of BC Indian Chiefs

B.C. government, First Nations will share gaming revenue, co-develop legislation to implement UN declaration

COAST SALISH TERRITORIES/VANCOUVER - B.C. First Nations will share in provincial gaming revenue to support self-government, strong, healthy communities, and services that make life better for families. This funding will be a central piece of Budget 2019 to support reconciliation.

News Release

 For Immediate Release

November 5, 2018

Newly Introduced Environmental Assessment Bill Goes Beyond the Status Quo and Marks Important Step in
First Nation - BC Relations

 Coast Salish Traditional Territory/Vancouver: The First Nations Leadership Council recognizes the significant improvements made by Bill 51 Environmental Assessment Act, which was introduced today, and begins to make space for proper relations between Indigenous laws and legal orders and those of the Crown.

News Release  
August 22, 2018

BC First Nations being devastated by Wildfire Season
of 2018, immediate resources needed

Coast Salish Traditional Territory/Vancouver:  BC First Nations leaders are calling on the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate and on-going supports needed by the numerous BC First Nations directly impacted by the 2018 BC Wildfire Season and to also create a BC First Nations Emergency Management Fund, which was proposed following the 2017 BC wildfire season.

NEWS RELEASE

FNLC Supports Broughton Area LoU re. Fish Farms

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver – June 28, 2018) The First Nation Leadership Council (FNLC) applauds the Broughton Area Letter of Understanding (LoU), signed yesterday between the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, Namgis and Mamalilikulla First Nations and BC.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver) On November 20, 2017, the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, addressed the Symposium on Implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Priorities, Partnerships, and Next Steps, formally announcing Canada’s support of Private Member’s Bill C-262.

The First Nations Leadership Council is committed to changing the course of First Nation-Crown relations in BC in a way that empowers First Nations and results in real, concrete change to our children, families, and communities. The FNLC has identified the upcoming provincial election as a critical turning point in which First Nation voters have the potential to significantly shift not only the focus of the election but the outcome as well.

Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver, BC) - First Nations leadership and child-serving organizations gathered over the past two days, along with representatives of the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada - to discuss the current crisis in Indigenous child welfare in British Columbia.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver) Senior First Nations leadership in BC are thanking Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, BC’s Representative for Children and Youth, for her recent special report detailing serious concerns about the unbalanced review carried out by Mr. Bob Plecas for the Province of BC.  

Dear Premier Clark,

Mr. Plecas has written a report called Decision Time as a special independent advisor to you and the Minister for Children and Families. Mr. Plecas was originally hired to review the J.P. case but his mandate was expanded to include an “interim report on the comparative analysis of applicable legislation, policy, standards and practice and recommendations for the improvement of Ministry, and other, systemic processes”.

Coast Salish Territory (Vancouver, BC) – BC First Nations Leaders are optimistic following today’s appointment of the new federal Liberal Cabinet by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) are particularly pleased that for the first time there will be two indigenous members of Cabinet, including former BCAFN Regional Chief and FNLC member Jody Wilson-Raybould (Vancouver-Granville), who was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.