B.C. First Nations push for revamp of province’s forestry policies

By Wendy Stueck
The Globe and Mail
January 17, 2022
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Over the past two years, the Ashcroft Indian Band has been pressing the British Columbia government to overhaul the province’s forestry policies, saying the current system doesn’t reflect the government’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples or its legal obligations to them. …The effort is part of a province-wide push by First Nations to gain more influence over an industry that has shaped settlement and trade in B.C. for more than a century and remains a significant economic force. …In theory, the stage is set for First Nations to assume a major role. …The First Nations Forestry Council, an advocacy group focused on forest policy, has said the recent [government] changes are at odds with reconciliation commitments and with B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The group has called for a “reset.” …The provincial government’s revised legislation does not address revenue-sharing, FNFC executive director Charlene Higgins said. [We respect the copyrights of the source publication – full access may require a Globe and Mail subscription]

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