By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The chiefs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation have expressed their “profound disappointment and condemnation” over recent legal action initiated by a group of professors from both the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan and Vancouver campuses.
The lawsuit challenges the university’s land acknowledgment of residing on unceded First Nations land, including Syilx Okanagan territory, despite what they say is a fact that is both historically and legally recognized.
The petition, filed in the B.C. Supreme Court, alleges that UBC’s statements acknowledging unceded First Nations territory are political and infringe upon academic freedom.
The professors involved seek to prohibit the university from making such acknowledgments, arguing that they compel conformity to specific political beliefs.
Chief Clarence Louie, Chair of the Chiefs Executive Council (CEC), stated, “The recognition of unceded Syilx Okanagan land is not a political maneuver; it is an acknowledgment of historical truths and legal realities. Attempts to silence these acknowledgments are attempts to erase Syilx Okanagan presence and rights.”
Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation also added, “Academic educational institutions have a duty to foster environments of truth and reconciliation. Challenging the acknowledgment of unceded Syilx Okanagan territories undermines this duty and disrespects the Syilx Okanagan communities whose lands these institutions occupy.”
The Syilx Okanagan Nation emphasizes that land acknowledgments are essential steps toward reconciliation and education about Canada’s colonial history. Such acknowledgments align with the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, urging educational institutions to integrate First Nations’ knowledge and perspectives.
The Syilx Okanagan Nation says that UBC’s approach is in line with the commitments made by both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
These commitments include recognizing the rights of First Nations to their lands, territories, and resources and affirming the necessity of free, prior, and informed consent in decisions that affect them. “Recognizing unceded territory is a foundational expression of these principles,” the Nation said.
The Chiefs call upon UBC to steadfastly uphold its commitment to truth and reconciliation by continuing to acknowledge the unceded territories of the Syilx and other First Nations peoples and to reject any attempts that aim to diminish First Nations’ rights and histories.
The British Columbia assembly of first nations also condemned the move saying, “This effort not only attacks First Nations’ rights but also denies the historical truths that form the foundation of our cultures and enduring connections to our ancestral territories.
“Land acknowledgments are far more than mere statements that can be dismissed as political ideologies; they are a necessary step toward true reconciliation.
“These acknowledgments highlight the ongoing impacts of colonialism and serve to educate Canadians about the systemic inequities and injustices faced by First Nations. This assault on land acknowledgments reflects a broader and troubling trend of resistance against the reconciliation process, which seeks to rectify the wrongs that have persisted for generations in Canada,” stated Regional Chief Terry Teegee.
