British Columbia introduced an Indigenous reconciliation plan Wednesday that sets goals toward implementing its law on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples…Premier John Horgan said the five-year plan represents a mutual commitment to work together to achieve its 89 goals.
n 2019, B.C. was the first jurisdiction in North America to adopt the declaration, which requires governments to obtain free, prior and informed consent before taking actions that affect Indigenous Peoples and their lands. It required the government to align its laws with the declaration and a draft implementation plan was released last summer. The act also stipulates that alignment must happen “in consultation and co-operation” with Indigenous Peoples. “The action plan will serve as the vehicle to drive transformational change across government,” said Murray Rankin, B.C.’s Indigenous relations and reconciliation minister.
The plan follows four central themes:
- self-determination and the right of self-government; (11 actions)
- title and rights of Indigenous Peoples; (14 actions)
- ending Indigenous-specific racism; and (15 actions)
- social, cultural and economic well-being. (49 actions)
The goals include:
- Indigenous Peoples exercise and have full enjoyment of their rights to self-determination and self-government, including developing, maintaining and implementing their own institutions, laws, governing bodies, and political, economic and social structures related to Indigenous communities.
- Indigenous Peoples exercise and have full enjoyment of their inherent rights, including the rights of First Nations to own, use, develop and control lands and resources within their territories in B.C.
- Indigenous Peoples fully express and exercise their distinct rights, and enjoy living in B.C. without interpersonal, systemic and institutional interference, oppression or other inequities associated with Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination, wherever they reside.
- Indigenous Peoples in B.C. fully enjoy and exercise their distinct rights to maintain, control, develop, protect and transmit their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, languages, food systems, sciences and technol- ogies. They are supported by initiatives that promote connection, development, access and improvement, as well as full participation in all aspects of B.C.’s economy. This includes particular focus on ensuring the rights of Indigenous women, youth, Elders, children, persons with disabilities and 2SlgBTQQIA+ people are upheld.