By Shannon Waters, Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Narwhal In 2019, B.C. unanimously passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. It was celebrated as a major step toward working with First Nations in a better, more equal way. But a court ruling earlier this month seems to be contributing to a change of heart for Premier David Eby. On Dec. 5, the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled the government\u2019s obligations under the Declaration Act are legally enforceable. Eby is now arguing judges shouldn\u2019t be setting the province\u2019s reconciliation agenda. And he says he is willing to change the law to make sure they can\u2019t. \u201cThe work we do in reconciliation is to empower people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, not to empower the courts,\u201d Eby… <\/p>\n
By Shannon Waters, Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Narwhal In 2019, B.C. unanimously passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. It was celebrated as a major step toward working with First Nations in a better, more equal way. But a court ruling earlier this month seems to be contributing to a change of heart for Premier David Eby. On Dec. 5, the British Columbia Court of Appeal ruled the government\u2019s obligations under the Declaration Act are legally enforceable. Eby is now arguing judges shouldn\u2019t be setting the province\u2019s reconciliation agenda. And he says he is willing to change the law to make sure they can\u2019t. \u201cThe work we do in reconciliation is to empower people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, not to empower the courts,\u201d Eby... <\/p>\n