News Release
January 20, 2022

UBCIC Celebrates Halting of Mining Threat in Skagit Headwaters

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – Jan 20, 2022) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) commends the tremendous dedication and work of an international coalition of U.S. and Canadian First Nations, Tribes, and stakeholders who united to oppose Imperial Metals’ proposal to pursue a mining permit in the headwaters of the Skagit River. Thanks to the collective efforts of this coalition and the Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (SEEC), the SEEC, Imperial Metals and the Government of British Columbia announced a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on January 19, 2022, that specifies the return of all mining and related rights in the Silverdaisy area of the Canadian Skagit Headwaters held by Imperial Metals back to the Province of British Columbia.  

Statement
November 17, 2021

UBCIC Supports Call for Peaceful Evacuation of Coastal GasLink from Wet’suwet’en Territory

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – November 17, 2021) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) continues to support efforts of members of the Gidimt’en clan to peacefully assert and safeguard their inherent Title and Rights, and to uphold their sovereignty and jurisdiction over unceded Wet’suwet’en territory in stopping Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) expansion. On November 14, 2021, members of the Gidimt’en clan enforced the eviction of Coastal Gaslink (CGL) workers from their lands and gave them eight hours to peacefully evacuate before the main road into the Lhudis Bin territory of the Gidimt’en clan was closed. These Gidimt’en members are upholding ancient Wet’suwet’en trespass laws and an eviction notice served by the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs to CGL in 2020.

News Release
October 25, 2021

UBCIC Calls on BC to End the LNG-Fracking Industry in Response to Climate Emergency

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – October 25, 2021) With less than two weeks before the COP26 UN climate conference in Scotland, the dark shadow of Canada and BC’s climate record looms large – Canada has had the highest emission growth of the G7 countries since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2016, and BC’s aspirations to expand Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and fracking operations continue to thwart efforts to meet or exceed the province’s outdated legislated  emissions targets. With the climate crisis disproportionately endangering the lives and cultures of Indigenous peoples, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is urgently calling upon the provincial government to stop investing in LNG and fracking expansion, and to implement crucial measures that will support the just transition to a clean-energy economy.

News Release
November 5, 2019

UBCIC Remembers and Honours George Saddleman

((Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – November 5, 2019) It is with great sorrow and loss that the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) received the news that our dear friend and Elders Representative, George Saddleman, Upper Nicola Indian Band, passed away. We would like to convey our deepest condolences to his family members, friends, and loved ones.

News Release
October 25, 2019

UBCIC Marches for Climate Justice with Greta Thunberg

((Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – October 25, 2019) Today the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) will stand and march proudly alongside Greta Thunberg and the thousands of young climate strikers who are sending a clear post-election message to our political leaders that the time for uncompromising and sustained climate change action is now. Climate strikers will assemble at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 11 a.m. before marching through downtown and hearing from special guests, including Grand Chief Stewart Philip, President of UBCIC and Greta Thunberg. 

News Release   

October 7, 2019

First Nations Leadership Council Angered and Disappointed with Canada’s Recalcitrant Appeal of CHRT Ruling

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.)

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) of British Columbia expresses our profound frustration and deep concern with the decision on October 6, 2019 by the Government of Canada to seek judicial review of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision in First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and Assembly of First Nations et al. v. Attorney General of Canada (for the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), (2019 CHRT 39).  This appeal is of a critical ruling on compensating First Nations victims of discrimination in the child welfare system due to their suffering wilful and reckless discrimination as a result of an underfunded and poorly coordinated child welfare system. The appeal filed by Canada on October 6, 2019 seeks to quash the order of the Tribunal and is a step backward.

News Release
September 17, 2019

UBCIC Congratulates Squamish Nation on BC Court of Appeal Decision to Send TMX back for Environmental Approval

(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C. – September 17, 2019) Today, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) celebrates the significant blow that has been dealt to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX). The BC Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the Squamish Nation, determining that the Provincial Environmental Assessment Certificate issued for the TMX was premised on the fundamentally flawed National Energy Board Report, thereby necessitating the Province to reconsider the environmental conditions and approval issued for the TMX.

News Release           

September 16^th, 2019

First Nations Leadership Council recognizes the cessation of “Birth Alerts” as first step of many to end the traumatizing practice of hospital removals 

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories/Vancouver: 

The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) applauds the Ministry of Children and Family Development for their decision and announcement that they will be ending the longstanding practice of “Birth Alerts,” but is clear that this is only the beginning of what is necessary to end the traumatizing practice of hospital removals for First Nations children and families.

News Release

September 5, 2019

Recognition of Rights Policy for Treaty Negotiations in BC is Fundamentally Flawed

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – September 5, 2019) Today, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) was disappointed to learn that BC, Canada, and First Nation Chief Negotiators in the BC Treaty Commission (BCTC) Process have finalized their Recognition and Reconciliation of Rights Policy for Treaty Negotiations in BC (the “Policy”) despite the serious infringements of human rights that it poses.

News Release
August 19, 2019

143 Years of Sex-Based Discrimination Through the Indian Act Finally Comes to an End After Decades of Advocacy

(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, B.C. – August 19, 2019) For over 143 years the status and registration provisions of the Indian Act have been wielded as a colonial tool of assimilation to undermine the cultural integrity and legal status of Indigenous peoples. For decades First Nations women and their descendants have had to fight a long and winding battle to dismantle the sex-based discrimination that has been perpetuated by these provisions.