Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

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The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is a First Nations political organization founded in 1969 in response to Jean Chrétien's White Paper proposal to assimilate Status Indians and disband the Department of Indian Affairs.^[1]

Since the disbanding of the Allied Tribes of British Columbia in 1927, there had been many attempts to create a unified provincial organization, but conflict between the primarily coastal/Protestant Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and the primarily interior/Catholic had been too great.

At a three-day meeting in November 1969 in Kamloops, 175 provincial chiefs unanimously voted to create the UBCIC. In 1971, the UBCIC adopts its Constitution and By-laws and is incorporated under the BC Societies Act.^[2]

Leadership[]

UBCIC operates through an Executive Committee and a Chief's Council composed of chiefs representing member indigenous communities.^[1] The first three-person executive consisted of Victor Adolf, Heber Maitland, and Philip Paul.

Presidents[]

• George Manuel (President, 1979–81)
• (1981–83)
• Grand Chief (1983–98)^[3]
• Grand Chief Stewart Phillip (1998–Present)^[4]

Vice presidents[]

• , OWADI (2009–Present)^[4]

Secretary treasurers[]

• (unknown–Present)^[4]

History[]

In 1969, then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Indian Affairs Jean Chrétien released a policy document officially entitled Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian policy. Better known as the White Paper, this policy proposed a dismantling of the Indian Act and an end to the special relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian Government.^[5] Many Indigenous groups across Canada protested this policy change and expressed concern regarding the Canadian Government's failure to incorporate feedback raised during the consultation process.^[5] In British Columbia, a generation of emerging Indigenous leaders began to organize in response. Rose Charlie of the , Philip Paul of the Southern Vancouver Island Tribal Federation and Don Moses of the North American Indian Brotherhood invited bands from across the province to a conference in Kamloops to discuss the policy and the recognition of Aboriginal title and rights more generally.^[6] The conference was a success with over 140 bands represented and it resulted in the formation of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, an organization dedicated to the resolution of land claims.^[6]

Library and archives[]

UBCIC provides specialized research collections and services with a focus on BC land rights research for those with a band council resolution to conduct research on behalf of a First Nation or other researchers who abide to UBCIC's Ethical Research Policy.^[7] The library uses a modified version of the Brian Deer classification system, a library organizational system that better reflects Indigenous worldviews.^[8]

See also[]

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• Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs - Indigenous Foundations at UBC

External links[]

• Official Site
• UBCIC Constitution
• UBCIC Historical Timeline of BC
• UBCIC Library & Archives

References[]