Report says BC Conservatives directed to drop the term ‘First Nations'

NEW WESTMINSTER — Conservative Party of BC Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s office has instructed some MLAs to stop using the term “First Nations” when referring to indigenous people and instead use “Indigenous,” “Aboriginal” or “Indian,” according to a report published Monday by Business in Vancouver..The directive, communicated by senior staff in Findlay’s office to some — but not all — MLAs and opposition staffers, stems from a view that “First Nations” is woke language associated with the political left, BIV columnist Rob Shaw reported Monday..Findlay’s team has listed three preferred alternatives: "indigenous," "aboriginal," and "Indian.""Indigenous" remains the most commonly accepted descriptor in current political discussion. "Aboriginal" is rarely used as a general label anymore, though it still appears in legal references to aboriginal title and property interests. "Indian" is the most contested of the three options. While widely regarded as outdated, the office has cited the federal Indian Act — the statute that continues to define Indian status and reserve lands — as the basis for its inclusion.The Conservative caucus declined to comment when contacted by BIV, according to Shaw..The terminology guidance arrives amid the BC Conservatives taking a firmer stance on indigenous policy under Findlay, who secured the leadership on May 30. The party has committed to repealing the NDP’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, described itself as unapologetic about British Columbia’s colonial past, and signalled interest in constitutional changes with other western provinces aimed at protecting private property from Aboriginal title rulings..NDP Indigenous Relations Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert denounced the approach in comments to BIV.“Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s extreme and divisive approach would set our province back to the 1800s, kill tens of thousands of good jobs and a more prosperous future for us all,” Herbert said. He added that Findlay appeared more interested in pitting neighbour against neighbour than improving life for British Columbians, and referenced her leadership-race criticism of Peter Milobar over his wife’s indigenous heritage.Later Monday, Herbert posted a shorter version of the same message on X: “The Conservatives want to take us back to the 1800’s.”.Official government terminology guides — including those from the former Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development — have long acknowledged that the phrase came into common usage in the 1970s precisely “to replace the word ‘Indian,’ which some people found offensive.”Unlike “Indian,” which retains a precise legal definition under the Indian Act, “First Nations” has never been given a statutory legal definition in Canadian law.

Report says BC Conservatives directed to drop the term ‘First Nations'

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