We are writing with respect to your correspondence from March 18, 2016 regarding “Information about the Proposed Amendments to National Energy Board Regulations for Pipeline Damage Prevention, Now Available for a 30-Day Comment Period”. On behalf of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) we are submitting this letter to clarify some potential concerns for First Nations in terms of regulations developed under the Pipeline Safety Act (“the Act”). In providing these comments, we are not in any way providing our approval of the Pipeline Safety Act or its regulations.

March 31, 2016

Dear Minister Bennett:

On February 13, 2016, you met with the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (“UBCIC”) Executive in Vancouver to initiate a working relationship and review our organization’s priorities with a view to future discussions. At that meeting you made an explicit commitment to restore funding for specific claims research and development to Claims Research Units (“CRUs”) and First Nations across Canada. In 2014, drastic funding cuts ranging from 30-60% were meted out to these organizations as part of the Harper government’s Deficit Reduction Action Plan. We stressed to you the urgency of restoring funding, and the timeliness required as INAC’s responses to annual research funding proposals submitted by CRUs and First Nations in January 2016 were expected at the end of March.

(Coast Salish Territory / Vancouver BC – March 4, 2016). On February 29, 2016, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned the 2014 Specific Claims Tribunal ruling in favour of the Williams Lake Indian Band’s village site specific claim, and took the unusual step of rendering a new decision based on the facts of the claim. 

VICTORIA –First Nations, labour, environmental and legal organizations are calling on the B.C. and federal governments to suspend construction of the Site C dam pending completion and full consideration of an independent review by B.C.’s Auditor General.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – January 26, 2016) Today the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal issued a landmark decision confirming that First Nations children in Canada have received inequitable child welfare funding, that this discrimination must cease, and that they must receive equitable child welfare funding going forward.  163,000 First Nations children are affected by the case and the child welfare funding shortfalls on reserves and in the Yukon are 22% to 38.5%.

Vancouver – The following is a joint statement from the United Steelworkers, the BC Federation of Labour, the First Nations Summit, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Assembly of First Nations marking the fourth anniversary of the Babine sawmill explosion:

(Treaty 8 Territory/Rocky Mountain Fort Camp, B.C. – January 12, 2016)  The historic Rocky Mountain Fort Camp in the Peace Valley, populated by Treaty 8 Stewards of the Land and local landowners opposing BC Hydro’s Site C dam, received a high profile visit today from Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, and well known environmentalist David Suzuki, who have joined together in their support of Treaty 8 First Nations opposition to the proposed Site C.

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C.- January 8th, 2016) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is denouncing BC Hydro's deliberately provocative and reckless attempts at fast tracking construction on the proposed Site C project despite the legal uncertainty of the project moving forward.  

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.

October 29, 2015

Premier Christy Clark
PO BOX 9041 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria BC V8W-9E1
Via facsimile: 250-387-0087
604-775-1688

OPEN LETTER: UBCIC Demands Premier Clark Apologize for Highway of Tears Deleted Emails and Implement Recommendations from Privacy Commissioner’s Report