Premier David Eby and the First Nations Leadership Council say British Columbia will not introduce legislation this spring to suspend or amend the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, also known as DRIPA.

In a joint statement, the province and Indigenous leadership say they remain committed to working together with First Nations across B.C. to address legal concerns raised by the government, while continuing to uphold First Nations title, rights and human rights.Both sides say the focus now is on genuine collaboration and finding solutions as soon as possible, and before the fall legislative session.

DRIPA was passed in 2019, making British Columbia the first jurisdiction in Canada to align its laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The legislation is intended to guide decision-making and support shared governance with First Nations, including consultation and co-operation on laws and policies that affect Indigenous peoples.

The act also commits the province to working with First Nations to bring provincial laws into alignment with the UN declaration over time, and to develop action plans outlining how those commitments will be implemented.

Recent discussions have centred on legal concerns raised by the provincial government about how some provisions are being interpreted and applied, particularly around decision-making and consultation requirements.

The joint statement says those concerns will now be addressed through discussions with First Nations leadership, rather than legislative changes this spring.

The government and the First Nations Leadership Council say they will continue engaging First Nations leaders in the coming months, with the goal of identifying a path forward ahead of the fall sitting of the legislature.

To read statement by Premier David Eby and the First Nations Leadership Council, visit Government of British Columbia.