Joint Call: BC must recommit to meaningful implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

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Joint Call: BC must recommit to meaningful 
implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of 
Indigenous Peoples and the Declaration on the Rights of 
Indigenous Peoples Act. 
 
Indigenous Peoples' Human Rights exist independent of provincial legislation. To avoid 
costly legal battles, BC has the obligation to ensure that the Province’s laws, practices, 
and policies are aligned with these rights through frameworks, processes, and 
negotiation tables co-developed with Indigenous peoples. 
 
As the world bears witness to political instability, increasingly severe climate impacts, and 
growing economic insecurity, we, the undersigned, call upon Premier David Eby and his BC 
NDP Government to fulfill their obligations and commitments to recognizing and 
implementing the human rights of Indigenous peoples, as required by the United Nations 
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) and BC’s own 
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act) and Interpretation 
Act. Amending the Declaration Act or the Interpretation Act in an effort to limit their effect 
would set back our collective reconciliation efforts by decades. 
Five years ago, the BC government, under the leadership of Premier John Horgan, 
championed co-development of the Declaration Act alongside Indigenous peoples. BC 
was the first jurisdiction in Canada to take the necessary step of passing legislation 
directing the government to implement the UN Declaration and ensure that all provincial 
laws, policies, and practices are consistent with the inherent rights, standards, and 
principles of the UN Declaration. This was a significant accomplishment to which many of 
us stood beside the BC government and celebrated its leadership. 
These efforts advanced Canada’s international standing and set an example for regional 
and national governments on how a government can move forward in partnership with 
Indigenous peoples to address the ongoing legacies of colonialism and ensure a 
prosperous future for all. The Declaration Act was passed unanimously by all Parties in the 
BC Legislature and was applauded by a wide array of civil society organizations, industry 
leaders, faith-based organizations, environmental groups, municipalities, and Indigenous 
and non-Indigenous people alike. Today, we are concerned that, despite significant 

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resources and effort being committed to the implementation of the Declaration Act, 
political will appears to be faltering. 
Meaningful implementation of the UN Declaration and Declaration Act present significant 
opportunities to address many of the longstanding challenges our province faces, including 
addressing the social and economic marginalization of Indigenous peoples, promoting 
healthier, sustainable, and vibrant communities, increasing local decision-making, 
accountability, and transparency, tackling climate change and supporting climate 
resilience, promoting economic growth through certa

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