Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleB.C.’s incoming Conservative government says it will repeal the province’s Indigenous rights law. First Nations leaders warn the move could push the province into conflict and back into the courts.
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson has reaffirmed his promise to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, known as DRIPA. His party won a majority of 64 of 93 seats in the Oct. 24 election.
What is DRIPA?
The B.C. legislature passed DRIPA unanimously in 2019. It commits the province to align its laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and allows agreements with First Nations on decisions that affect their lands.
In 2025 the B.C. Court of Appeal ruled in the Gitxaała case that the province’s obligations under the act are legally enforceable. That case grew out of mineral claims registered on Gitxaała and Ehattesaht territory without their input. After the ruling, then-premier David Eby said the law needed changes. His government later backed away from amendments, and talks with First Nations were interrupted by the election.
Doerkson’s plan
Doerkson says the law has not delivered. “The reality is it hasn’t solved anything,” he told reporters. He pointed to ongoing court cases and their effect on mining.
He called DRIPA “a thick piece of legislation” and said his government is committed to repealing it “as soon as we can.” The party is considering a shortened fall sitting, so repeal legislation would likely come in the spring.
The Conservatives have not said what would replace the act or how they would handle existing agreements made under it. The party’s platform calls for “economic reconciliation” and says Doerkson wants partnerships with First Nations on projects.
First Nations leaders push back
The First Nations Leadership Council, which brings together the BC Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Summit and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, urged the incoming government to keep the law. It called DRIPA a “meaningful and constructive path forward.”
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, described the choice as “Battleground B.C. or reconciliation.” He has called repeal a “declaration of war.”
Chief Shana Thomas of the First Nations Summit political executive said, “We must be involved in any decisions that impact our territories.”
BC AFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee called on Doerkson to reject anti-Indigenous hate and discrimination.
Tŝilhqot’in National Government Tribal Chief Nits’ilʔin Otis Guichon Sr. called repeal “a slogan, not a plan.”
Supporters and industry
Supporters of repeal, led by Doerkson’s party, argue that DRIPA has added legal uncertainty for resource projects and property owners and has drawn the province into costly court fights.
Industry views are more mixed. The trade publication Northern Miner reported that the Association for Mineral Exploration had sought amendments to DRIPA rather than repeal. One investment analyst warned that repeal could move uncertainty from the legislature into the courts. Repealing the provincial act would not remove the constitutional duty to consult First Nations.
Why it matters
B.C. is home to more than 200 First Nations, and major mining, energy and housing projects depend on agreements with them. The fight over DRIPA will shape how quickly those projects move, and whether they move through negotiation or litigation.
The new government is expected to be sworn in in the coming weeks. Doerkson’s choice of Indigenous relations minister is being watched as an early signal of how hard he plans to push.
Sources: The Canadian Press, Global News, CBC News, Vista Radio, The Tyee, The Narwhal, The Northern Miner, Conservative Party of BC
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
