BC Government First Province to Implement UNDRIP Legislation

Monday, 18 February 2019 12:44

BC Premier John Horgan says his government is looking to implement the 46 articles from the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into provincial law.

The British Columbia government is the first province in Canada to commit to putting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into legislation.

BC Premier John Horgan says the legislation will be tabled later this year, and would implement 46 articles in the declaration and implement it into law.

Horgan says the move is "more than symbolic", and it commits his government to better improve communication and consent between BC First Nations when constructing resource projects in the province.

The First Nations Leadership Council, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the First Nations Summit have all been working with the provincial government around the legislation in recent months.

Horgan says it's unclear at this time if a single bill or several pieces of legislation would need to be rewritten to implement the articles.

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