Vancouver poised to become first city to adopt UN declaration on Indigenous rights
Vancouver could become the first city in Canada to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples with a plan developed alongside the three First Nations on whose territory the city is located.
The report has passed through the councils of the three nations and it will be considered by city council on Oct. 25 with a recommendation that it be endorsed. Squamish council chairperson and task force co-chair Khelsilem told the gatheringthe strategy came about because of a “genuine, mutual respect” between those involved, and a desire to create a meaningful pathway for reconciliation in the city.
Among the calls to action are prioritizing access to cultural sites for the nations’ members and developing a policy to assess industrial infrastructure development through the lens of Indigenous rights and environmental racism.