Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

Leadership

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

Presidents

• George Manuel (President, 1979–1981)
• Robert (Bob) Manuel (1981–1983)
• Grand Chief Saul Terry (1983–1998)
• Grand Chief Stewart Phillip (1998–present)

Vice presidents

• Chief Robert Chamberlin, OWADI (2009–2019)
• Chief Don Tom (2019–present)

Secretary treasurers

• Kukpi7 Judy Wilson (2017–2022)
• Chief K̓áwáziɫ Marilyn Slett (2023–present)

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. 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. In British Columbia, a generation of emerging Indigenous leaders began to organize in response. Rose Charlie of the Indian Homemakers' Association, 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. 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.

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. The library uses a modified version of the Brian Deer classification system, a library organizational system that better reflects Indigenous worldviews.

References

References

1. [http://www.ubcic.bc.ca "UBCIC"]
2. Hanson, Erin. "Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs".
3. "Biography of Saul Terry".
4. "Our UBCIC Executive".
5. (2019-06-21). "Tsartlip chief elected VP of Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs".
6. "Chiefs Council February 2023".
7. (November 12, 2015). "The White Paper 1969".
8. "The White Paper, 1969".
9. "UBCIC Library & Archives".
10. (2015-07-04). "A Case Study in Indigenous Classification: Revisiting and Reviving the Brian Deer Scheme". Cataloging & Classification Quarterly.