VICTORIA - The British Columbia government has released a five-year action plan towards implementing its law on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
When BC became the first province to put the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into law, it was an historic moment.
— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) March 30, 2022
Today, we will take another important step forward in partnership with Indigenous Peoples with an action plan to build a brighter future together. pic.twitter.com/6M2CgURG2K
The government's report, which includes 89 goals, says the province is committed to changing the trajectory of history through coherent, concrete and co-operative action with Indigenous Peoples.
📺 Watch live: We're announcing the next steps of transformative change in government to build a better future in partnership with Indigenous Peoples in BC.https://t.co/E51JEXKt3C
— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) March 30, 2022
In 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.
The government's action plan follows four central themes: self-determination and the right of self-government; title and rights of Indigenous Peoples; ending Indigenous-specific racism; and social, cultural and economic well-being.
The goals in the action plan include establishing a secretariat to help government ensure legislation is consistent with the declaration, conducting an Indigenous-specific racism review in the province's education system and reviewing the process for naming municipalities and regional districts.
The report says the government also aims to train and hire more Indigenous teachers for the public school system.
"The action plan is meant to help everyone who lives in B.C. understand the importance of reconciliation and how it will help the province achieve its greatest social, cultural and economic potential," says the report.
