A Measure of Integrity: First Nations Respond to the Bitumen Reference Case Decision
Who gets to regulate the flow of bitumen through boundary-traversing pipelines: the province or the federal government? That’s been the question at the heart of the prosaically-named “Bitumen Reference” legal action that was heard by the Supreme Court of Canada after British Columbia appealed an unfavourable verdict by the Federal Court of Appeal. On January... Read More
Get Clear on Wet’suwet’en Law: Unpacking Canadian Court and Media’s Confusion
There has been a lot of confusion in the media and even within the B.C. government about the place of Wet’suwet’en Indigenous law within the Canadian system. Even as the RCMP occupy a bridge on the Morice River, Premier John Horgan blithely talks about a “familial dispute”. In fact, the discord between hereditary leadership systems and... Read More
Unpacking Solidarity & Allyship
With reconciliation being discussed in communities, in classrooms, in boardrooms and on the floor of Parliament, there is an upwelling of interest and passion for engagement with Indigenous rights in Canada. Canadians are leaning in to understand the history of Indigenous Peoples, and to know the underlying issues of colonization and assimilation, to know where... Read More
A Necessary Resource: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is a comprehensive statement addressing the human rights of Indigenous peoples. It was drafted and formally debated for over 20 years prior to being adopted by the General Assembly on 13 September 2007. The document emphasizes the rights of Indigenous peoples to live in dignity,... Read More
Our Vision? A Country Where Democracy Thrives with Honoured Indigenous Rights
RAVEN’s vision is a country where constitutional democracy is flourishing because Indigenous laws, rights and stewardship values are honoured. We are spotlighting some of our favourite programs aimed at exploring, honouring and understanding Indigenous laws in BC. West Coast Environmental Law: Revitalizing Indigenous law for Land, Air and Water (RELAW) “For thousands of years, Indigenous... Read More
Understanding the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Everyday
The worldwide drive to extract and develop minerals and fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), coupled with the fact that much of what remains of these natural resources is situated on the lands of indigenous peoples, results in increasing and ever more widespread effects on indigenous peoples’ lives… indigenous peoples around the world have suffered... Read More
How to Implement Free, Prior and Informed Consent: An Overview
On November 12, 2010, Canada issued a Statement of Support endorsing the UN Declaration. What does the implementation of this declaration mean? How can government and businesses implement Free, Prior and Informed Consent? The UN Declaration is monumental because it is the only human rights instrument created with the participation of the rights holders themselves.... Read More
The Importance of Free, Prior and Informed Consent
Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is the right of Indigenous Peoples to say “yes” or “no” to all proposed developments that may affect the collective rights of their communities. Consent must be discussed free from threat to individuals or communities; must be sought prior to the beginning of any development which may affect Indigenous... Read More
Act NOW in Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en: Tell Coastal GasLink to Uphold Indigenous Rights
We need all hands on deck to support the Wet’suwet’en, whose rights and title to their unceded territory in northern British Columbia are at risk. On December 31, 2019, the B.C. Supreme Court granted an injunction against members of the Wet’suwet’en nation who have been stewarding and protecting their traditional territories from Coastal GasLink’s (CGL)... Read More
UN Human Rights Body Calls on Canada to Halt TransMountain Pipeline, Site C and Coastal GasLink
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has issued an “Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure” requesting that construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and Tankers Expansion Project, Site C Dam and Coastal GasLink cease immediately, unless free prior and informed consent is achieved. The UN expresses concern that these large-scale industrial projects “may... Read More