Media accused of portraying taxpayer-funded indigenous advocacy group pipeline stance as voice of BC First Nations

CALGARY — A recent letter from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) calling on Ottawa and the Alberta government to halt the proposed West Coast oil pipeline is drawing scrutiny over media reports that portrayed the advocacy group’s position as representative of First Nations chiefs across BC.The letter, released on Sunday, stated that, in light of the catastrophic wildfires in BC and other factors, “the impacts of climate change are already being felt in this country” and that “every new fossil fuel project deepens that crisis.”“This [pipeline] proposal threatens both the inherent rights of First Nations and accelerates the expansion of the fossil fuel industry at a time when communities across the country are already experiencing devastating climate disasters,” the letter reads.“Canada cannot claim to respect indigenous rights while ignoring free, prior and informed consent, nor can it claim climate leadership while approving infrastructure designed to expand oil production.”The UBCIC added that it had copied BC Premier David Eby on the letter because “British Columbia also has legal obligations to uphold First Nations' title and rights and implement the United Nations Declaration through the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.”The Canadian Press ran a story detailing the letter on Sunday titled “First Nations chiefs in BC call on Carney, Smith to halt pipeline advancement.” The story, written by Fakiha Baig, was subsequently reposted on The Globe and Mail’s website and X account under the same headline..Reaction on X was immediate, with Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, accusing the media of presenting one advocacy group as the voice of all BC First Nations.“This kind of journalism, making all First Nations seem like they are a homogenous group against pipelines, has been exposed and criticized for a decade and yet here it rises again. ‘First Nations chiefs’ in this article actually just refers to the UBCIC,” Exner-Pirot said.“UBCIC does not list who their members are. It is the three people on the executive committee who ‘call on Carney to halt the pipeline,’ and much of their work and funding is for activism against fossil fuel expansion.”She added that while the UBCIC is free to advocate for these issues, it was “irresponsible and misleading” for The Globe and Mail and The Canadian Press “to make it seem as though this is a broad or substantiated perspective of ‘First Nations chiefs in BC.’”.Since then, the Globe has deleted the X post promoting the article, but the article itself still appeared on the outlet’s website as of Tuesday under a different headline: “Group representing First Nations in BC calls on Carney, Smith to halt West Coast pipeline" and a different lede. .The Western Standard has reached out to The Globe and Mail for comment.The UBCIC’s letter was signed by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Chief Linda Innes and Chief Marilyn Slett, who are listed on the organization’s official website as its president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer, respectively.Phillip has served as UBCIC president and was appointed to a tenth consecutive three-year term in October 2025, while his wife, Joan, has represented Vancouver-Strathcona as an NDP MLA since 2023.The UBCIC was founded in 1969 to promote indigenous title and rights after Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduced a white paper on Indian policy.According to Alberta Fact Check, the UBCIC receives a large majority of its revenue — 93% — from the federal government, primarily through Indigenous Services Canada, and the Province of British Columbia, while 7% of its budget comes from dues paid by its members. The organization has a budget of roughly $4 million per year. In its bylaws, the UBCIC says members must pay annual dues to remain in good standing and vote on resolutions. The organization has described itself as representing more than 100 First Nations in BC, but no exact number is publicly available. There are more than 200 elected chiefs across the province.The UBCIC has also long opposed major fossil-fuel projects and has repeatedly called for indigenous consent under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)..UBCIC calls on UBC to 'uphold survivors' testimony,' crack down on 'denialism' following OneBC event.Its website also identifies climate action, aboriginal titles and opposition to projects it views as infringing on indigenous rights as central tenets of its advocacy.However, the UBCIC does not speak for all indigenous voices.Numerous other First Nations have spoken in favour of the proposed 1,250-kilometre, one-million-barrel-per-day crude oil pipeline.Upon news of the proposal, Loretta Waquan, president of the Fort McKay Métis Nation, said it represented “a significant opportunity.”.“Done properly, this project can help power Canada’s economy, strengthen our country’s energy security, and create long-term benefits for Indigenous communities like ours,” Waquan said, adding that the possibility of indigenous co-ownership was “something our Members can be proud to help lead.”The Métis Settlements of Alberta have also publicly expressed interest in an equity stake in the project, with President Dave Lamouche previously telling CBC that “it’s important to try and get some revenue-generating partnerships so we're able to afford things.”“What Alberta is offering is full partnership and participation,” Lamouche said.

Media accused of portraying taxpayer-funded indigenous advocacy group pipeline stance as voice of BC First Nations

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