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The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is a First Nations political organization founded in 1969 in response to
Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. Born and raised in Shawinigan, Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law gradua ...
's
White Paper A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white paper ...
proposal to assimilate Status Indians and disband the Department of Indian Affairs. Since the disbanding of the Allied Tribes of British Columbia in 1927, there had been many attempts to create a unified provincial organization, but conflict between the primarily
coastal The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in ...
/
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and the primarily interior/
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
National American Indian Brotherhood had been too great. At a three-day meeting in November 1969 in
Kamloops Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...
, 175 provincial chiefs unanimously voted to create the UBCIC. In 1971, the UBCIC adopts its Constitution and By-laws and is incorporated under the BC Societies Act.


Leadership

UBCIC operates through an Executive Committee and a Chief's Council composed of chiefs representing member indigenous communities. The first three-person executive consisted of Victor Adolf, Heber Maitland, and Philip Paul.


Presidents

*
George Manuel George Manuel, OC (February 21, 1921 – November 15, 1989, Secwépemc) was an Aboriginal leader in Canada. Born and raised in British Columbia, he became politically active there and in Alberta. In 1970 he was elected and served until 1976 as ...
(President, 1979–81) * Robert (Bob) Manuel (1981–83) *Grand Chief
Saul Terry Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tr ...
(1983–98) *Grand Chief Stewart Phillip (1998–Present)


Vice presidents

*
Chief Robert Chamberlin Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...
, OWADI (2009–Present)


Secretary treasurers

* Kukpi7 Judy Wilson (unknown–Present)


History

In 1969, then Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau ( , ; October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000), also referred to by his initials PET, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 15th prime minister of Canada from 1968 to 1979 and ...
and Minister of Indian Affairs
Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. Born and raised in Shawinigan, Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law gradua ...
released a policy document officially entitled Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian policy. Better known as the
White Paper A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white paper ...
, this policy proposed a dismantling of the
Indian Act The ''Indian Act'' (, long name ''An Act to amend and consolidate the laws respecting Indians'') is a Canadian act of Parliament that concerns registered Indians, their bands, and the system of Indian reserves. First passed in 1876 and still ...
and an end to the special relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian Government. Many Indigenous groups across Canada protested this policy change and expressed concern regarding the Canadian Government's failure to incorporate feedback raised during the consultation process. In
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
, a generation of emerging Indigenous leaders began to organize in response.
Rose Charlie Elizabeth Rose Charlie (born 9 May 1930) is a Sts'Ailes chief and Indigenous leader. Early life Charlie was born on the Chehalis reserve but moved with her family to Bainbridge Island in Washington state when she was 11 years old. In 1949, she ...
of the
Indian Homemakers' Association Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asi ...
, Philip Paul of the Southern Vancouver Island Tribal Federation and Don Moses of the North American Indian Brotherhood invited bands from across the province to a conference in
Kamloops Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...
to discuss the policy and the recognition of Aboriginal title and rights more generally. The conference was a success with over 140 bands represented and it resulted in the formation of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, an organization dedicated to the resolution of land claims.


Library and archives

UBCIC provides specialized research collections and services with a focus on BC land rights research for those with a band council resolution to conduct research on behalf of a First Nation or other researchers who abide to UBCIC's Ethical Research Policy. The library uses a modified version of the
Brian Deer classification system The Brian Deer Classification System (BDC) is a library classification system used to organize materials in libraries with specialized Indigenous collections. The system was created in the mid-1970s by Canadian librarian A. Brian Deer Kahnawake Mo ...
, a library organizational system that better reflects Indigenous worldviews.


References


External links


Official SiteUBCIC ConstitutionUBCIC Historical Timeline of BCUBCIC Library & ArchivesUnion of British Columbia Indian Chiefs - Indigenous Foundations at UBC
{{Authority control First Nations organizations in British Columbia Organizations established in 1969 1969 establishments in British Columbia First Nations governments