Members of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly have rejected a proposed act that aimed to forbid publicly funded employees in schools and other public entities from making land acknowledgments. The proposal was put forth by Dallas Brodie, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, who was expelled from the B.C. Conservative Party in March after the party leader accused her of disrespecting the testimonies of residential school survivors.
The bill, named the Land Acknowledgement Prohibition Act, sought to prohibit acknowledgments that undermine the Crown’s sovereignty in British Columbia or assign collective guilt to individuals based on race, ancestry, or the actions of historical Canadian figures. Land acknowledgments involve recognizing the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples who inhabited the land before settlers arrived, a practice that has been upheld by Indigenous communities for generations and has gained traction in non-Indigenous settings.
During a legislative session in Victoria, 88 out of 93 MLAs voted against Brodie’s bill, marking a rare rejection during its initial reading. Only Conservative MLAs Harman Bhangu and Heather Maahs, along with Brodie and MLA Tara Armstrong, supported the proposed legislation. Brodie and Armstrong, former Conservative members, later established a new political party named OneBC.
Former Conservative MLA Jordan Kealy also backed Brodie’s bill. Following the vote, Conservative MLA Á’a:líya Warbus criticized the proposed legislation, stating that it contradicts ongoing efforts for Indigenous reconciliation in British Columbia, emphasizing the importance of uncomfortable conversations to drive progress in reconciliation.
Warbus highlighted the significance of acknowledging Indigenous history and traditions, emphasizing that attempts to ban land acknowledgments would hinder reconciliation efforts by ignoring the truth. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Spencer Chandra Herbert underscored the importance of acknowledging First Nations history and traditions, emphasizing that erasing Indigenous history perpetuates division among communities.
The rejection of the Land Acknowledgement Prohibition Act reflects the ongoing dialogue surrounding Indigenous reconciliation and the significance of honoring Indigenous land and heritage in British Columbia.