First Nation's Leaders' gathering closes today after two days of relationship building in Vancouver

The eighth annual BC First Nations Leader's Gathering wraps up later this afternoon, brining a close to two days of engagement for Indigenous leaders from across the province with members of the BC Cabinet.

Premier David Eby, together with Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Robert Phillips, Regional Chief Terry Teegee and Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, opened the two-day event Nov. 2, 2023. 

They committed to work together to build on the strong foundations of a government-to-government relationship and to advance meaningful reconciliation in the province, to uphold self-determination and create opportunity for everyone in B.C.

The event is taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre and much like the UBCM gathering of September, the session of Thursday and again today provided for access to range of provincial government officials through one on one meetings.  

As well the event has a full agenda of plenary sessions and discussion forums on a number to themes.

More than 1,000 people registered to attend the event, which is the largest number yet for participation in the annual event.  193 First Nations from across the province are in attendance, scheduling more than 900 one on one sessions with provincial officials.

Among those in attendance from the Northwest was a delegation from the Nisga' Nation which shared some of their notes and discussion themes from Day One with the membership.

Some of the discussion themes for the gathering included Alignment of Laws in British Columbia, Homelessness and Encampment response,  Operationalizing Consent and New Decision Making Models, Anti Racism Legislation, The BC Tripartite Education Agreement and the Declaration Act Action Plan commitments, Forest landscape planning, Emergency Management and Distinction Based Approach discussions. 

Beyond the volume of BC Cabinet ministers and First Nations leaders in attendance, among those participating in some of those plenary sessions was Jody Wilson-Raybould the former MP and Federal Liberal Cabinet Minister.

As well, Thursday featured a keynote address from Leanne Enoch, an Australian cabinet minister who is in charge of a number of Aboriginal portfolios with the Australian government.

The two day event also featured a number of exhibits for conference attendees to explore

The full agenda for the event can be reviewed here.

What the Premier and the First Nation hosts hope to accomplish through the two days was outlined in a statement towards the event which you can review here.

With a full day of one on one sessions planned for yesterday, the Legislature took a break from its proceedings. Wrapping the week up on Wednesday, so as to allow for members to make the journey across to Vancouver for the event.

More notes from the Legislature can be reviewed here.