Coastal nations take to ‘B.C.’s’ highest court to push province’s UNDRIP obligation

By Amy Romer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews In the province’s highest court, two coastal First Nations argued that all “B.C.” laws must be interpreted consistently with the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). Members of the Gitxaała and Ehattesaht First Nations spent three days in the B.C. Court of Appeal last week, in their latest action involving the province’s Mineral Tenure Act. A lower court ruling in 2023 affirmed the province’s duty to consult — and has led to reform of the rules which in the past have allowed mining companies to develop on Indigenous lands without obtaining consent. Gitxaała and Ehattesaht considered this a partial victory. They now want to see the higher court declare that the Mineral Tenure Act is inconsistent with UNDRIP as…

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