Elections BC approves petition seeking repeal of Indigenous rights law

Elections BC says it has granted in-principle approval for a petition seeking to repeal British Columbia’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).

The petition was submitted by Harman Bhangu, transportation critic for the Opposition B.C. Conservatives.

DRIPA is intended to affirm the application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in B.C. laws, but the legislation has become a point of contention among its critics.

Premier David Eby abandoned a plan to suspend the legislation in April following strong opposition from First Nations leaders who support the law.

To succeed, the petition must collect signatures from at least 10 per cent of voters in each of B.C.’s 93 electoral districts by Jan. 25, 2027. If the requirements are met, the petition would be referred to the legislature, although the process itself is not binding.

According to a report by The Canadian Press, the Chief Electoral Officer Shipra Verma said she is satisfied that the issue falls within the legislature’s jurisdiction and that the proposed draft bill to repeal DRIPA is clear and unambiguous.

Elections BC said that if the petition is referred to the legislative assembly, possible next steps include recommending that the draft bill be introduced or referring the petition and bill to a public vote.

The proposed two-sentence legislation states that the repeal would take effect once it receives royal assent.

A B.C. Court of Appeal ruling last year found that provincial mining regulations were inconsistent with DRIPA, raising concerns about the legislation’s broader implications.