On 17th Anniversary of UN Declaration, FNLC Calls for Ongoing Implementation of Groundbreaking Legislation

September 13, 2024

(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) Today, the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) marks the 17th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration), a pivotal moment in the global recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights, with significant current threats in the provincial context.

The FNLC is extremely concerned that B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has stated his intent to repeal the UN Declaration if elected in the upcoming provincial election. In January 2024 he stated, “We must … repeal the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was established for conditions in other countries — not Canada.”1 Presumably Mr. Rustad is aware that the Province does not have jurisdiction to repeal the UN Declaration, but only the provincial Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act).