Two bills introduced in fall 2021 are helping to strengthen Indigenous rights and advance reconciliation in B.C.
Bill 18 adds Indigenous identity as a protected ground under the B.C. Human Rights Code, further helping to combat racism and protect Indigenous Peoples from discrimination.
Through Bill 29, we have also added a non-derogation clause to the Interpretation Act. This clause makes it clear that provincial laws uphold, and do not diminish, the rights of Indigenous Peoples as outlined under section 35 of the Constitution of Canada. Bill 29 also requires that the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples be used to interpret all of B.C.’s acts and regulations.
By working in partnership with Indigenous leadership to make these amendments, B.C. is paving the way to a more inclusive, equitable province.