About the 10 Principles

The Draft Principles that Guide the Province of British Columbia’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples (principles) are modeled on principles introduced by the federal government in 2017. The Province’s principles provide high-level guidance on how provincial representatives engage with Indigenous peoples.

They address areas such as:

• The right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination and self-government, and the responsibility of government to change operating practices and processes to recognize these rights.
• The standard of conduct that government employees must demonstrate in all dealings with Indigenous peoples.
• The need for treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements, to be based on recognition of inherent rights and respect.

Under every B.C. Cabinet Minister’s mandate letter, ministries are required to move forward on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and to review policies, programs and legislation to find ways to bring the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into action.

This includes engaging with Indigenous communities when creating new policies and programs, reviewing services to make sure they are delivered in culturally intelligent ways, and renewing fiscal relationships in ways that help further Indigenous communities’ right to self-determination.

Many ministries and government agencies have work underway that aligns with the draft principles, including:

• revitalizing the environmental assessment process;
• improving B.C.’s approach to child welfare;
• incorporating traditional Indigenous knowledge into resource management; and
• revitalizing Indigenous languages.

The principles are being released in draft, as a starting point for conversations with First Nations and Indigenous peoples on their content.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 10 Principles