A SHARED PATH FORWARD FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA

When DRIPA was introduced in 2019, I was the only MLA who did not vote in favour of the legislation. My concern was not about Indigenous rights, title, or reconciliation. I have always believed those rights must be respected and that meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities are essential to British Columbia’s future. 

My concern was with the legislation itself, which I believed was largely symbolic and would create expectations without providing clarity on how those expectations would be implemented in practice. I believe, as I did then, that British Columbians deserve an honest conversation about how we can address Indigenous rights and title while also protecting communities and private land owners, supporting economic opportunity, and providing certainty for the people and businesses that call BC home. 

The reality is that many of the significant changes that followed came later through legislation such as the Interpretation Act amendments brought forward by David Eby’s government. Simply repealing DRIPA today would not undo those changes, nor would it address the underlying challenges facing Indigenous communities, resource projects, workers, local governments, and investors. That is why I believe promises to repeal DRIPA are more about political messaging than practical solutions. 

For too long, governments have conducted separate and often opaque processes, with affected communities learning about important decisions too late to participate meaningfully. Too often, people are placed in opposing camps and told their interests cannot coexist. 

At CentreBC, we believe British Columbia can do better. But first, we need to be honest about how we got here. 

Unlike much of the rest of Canada, British Columbia never completed the work of negotiating treaties as settlement moved across the province. Apart from the Douglas Treaties on parts of Vancouver Island and Treaty 8 in northeastern British Columbia, most of the province was not covered by historic treaties. Successive governments largely left questions of Indigenous rights and title unresolved, with many of those questions later addressed through the courts. While the courts have an important constitutional role, relying on litigation has created uncertainty for Indigenous Nations, communities, workers, investors, and governments alike.  

The province needs leadership willing to negotiate durable agreements, provide clarity, and create a shared path forward. 

But this path forward will not be simple, and British Columbians should be wary of political parties who pretend otherwise. Building partnerships, respecting Indigenous rights, protecting private property rights, safeguarding the environment, and creating economic opportunity takes serious work. It requires public transparency, honesty about trade-offs, meaningful consultation, and a government that is willing to bring people together rather than drive them apart. 

We need to finish the work that previous governments failed to do. Modern treaties have already demonstrated that negotiated agreements can create stability, strengthen Indigenous communities, and provide greater certainty for everyone. This is not only about economic certainty. It is about doing what is right and meeting our constitutional responsibilities. 

At the same time, government has a responsibility to represent the interests of all British Columbians. That responsibility does not have to conflict with Indigenous rights or reconciliation. We all live in British Columbia. We all have an interest in safe, healthy, prosperous communities and an economy that provides opportunity for our children and grandchildren. 

What would CentreBC do differently? We would: 

1. Create a single provincial framework for treaties and reconciliation agreements which would coordinate negotiating mandates, funding approvals, implementation standards, and timelines across ministries and Crown agencies. 

2. Bring affected parties together earlier in the process so First Nations, local governments, communities, workers, businesses, and environmental experts can identify shared interests before positions become entrenched, and so the government can be held to public accountability in an open manner. 

3. Create greater certainty for major projects through transparent timelines, clear decision criteria, and accountability for all parties. 

4. Develop practical sector agreements in areas such as forestry, mining, energy, infrastructure, and housing that support both reconciliation and economic development. 

5. Measure outcomes rather than process, focusing on stronger Indigenous communities, economic participation, environmental stewardship, investment certainty, and community well-being. 

British Columbia has a complicated history. There will be difficult conversations and there will be disagreements. But complexity does not make reconciliation impossible. It makes leadership more important. 

We can build a province where Indigenous Nations are respected partners, where responsible development can proceed with greater certainty, where communities have a meaningful voice, and where economic prosperity and reconciliation reinforce one another. 

That is the future CentreBC believes is possible. 

By Mike Bernier, Leader of CentreBC, August 13, 2026