B.C. Takes Collaborative Approach to Indigenous Rights Legislation
British Columbia Premier David Eby has announced that the province will work alongside First Nations to co-develop a joint framework under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) — with the goal of having something concrete in place before the fall legislative session kicks off in October.
The move signals a significant step in how B.C. intends to implement DRIPA, the landmark 2019 legislation that aligned provincial law with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Rather than drafting policy in isolation, the Eby government is committing to a shared process — one that brings Indigenous governments to the table as genuine partners, not just consultees.
What Is DRIPA and Why Does It Matter?
DRIPA — the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act — was passed by B.C. in 2019, making it the first province in Canada to align its laws with UNDRIP. The UN declaration enshrines the rights of Indigenous peoples to self-determination, free prior and informed consent, and control over lands and resources.
Implementing DRIPA in practice, however, has proven more complex. Critics — including many First Nations leaders — have argued that the province has moved too slowly and that the legislation lacks teeth without clear mechanisms for consent and shared decision-making.
Eby's announcement suggests the government is trying to address those concerns head-on by designing the implementation framework with First Nations rather than presenting a finished product for reaction.
A Co-Development Model
The co-development approach being proposed is not without precedent in Canada, but it remains relatively rare at the provincial level. Indigenous leaders across B.C. have long called for this kind of genuine partnership, particularly on issues involving land rights, resource development, and governance.
By working directly with First Nations before the fall sitting, the province is hoping to arrive at the legislature with a framework that already has Indigenous buy-in — reducing the likelihood of legal challenges and strengthening the legitimacy of whatever law eventually passes.
The timeline is ambitious. Fall session in B.C. typically begins in October, leaving only a few months for what could be complex and wide-ranging consultations with dozens of distinct First Nations across the province.
National Implications
B.C.'s experience with DRIPA has been watched closely by other provinces and the federal government. Ottawa passed its own federal equivalent — the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act — in 2021, and has faced similar questions about the pace and depth of implementation.
How B.C. navigates this co-development process could serve as a model — or a cautionary tale — for jurisdictions across the country grappling with the same tensions between Indigenous rights, resource development, and provincial authority.
For First Nations communities in B.C. and across Canada, the proof will be in the details: whether the co-development process is genuinely nation-to-nation, and whether the resulting legislation delivers real, enforceable rights.
Source: CBC News
