October 16, 2024
(Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-
Waututh)/Vancouver, B.C.) British Columbians stand at a critical juncture with only
four days remaining until the Provincial Election. The recently released costed
platform from the BC Conservative Party raises serious concerns regarding its
implications for First Nations, particularly John Rustad’s proposed $10 million budget
towards economic reconciliation. This token commitment falls drastically short of
what is needed to advance meaningful reconciliation efforts with First Nations.
The significant resource development goals including mining, forestry and LNG
development proposed by the BC Conservative Party, require the free, prior, and
informed consent of rights and title holders—rights that are deeply rooted in our
unceded territories.