BC Chiefs Say Anti-Terrorism Bill Will Infringe on Indigenous Rights

The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is the latest to speak out against Prime Minister Stephen Harper's proposed Anti-Terrorism Act.

Harper's Bill C-51 is meant to increase the power of RCMP and other bodies to combat terrorism and includes giving more power to security personnel, letting authorities detain possible terrorists for longer periods, and allowing authorities to remove terrorist propaganda from any Canadian-based website. However, critics have said that the bill will restrict Canadians' freedom.

UBCIC says that when the bill “radically and dangerously” expands the power for national security agencies, that it will also “greatly infringe upon the rights of all citizens without making us any safer or secure”.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of UBCIC, commented that they believe the sweeping scope of the bill will violate Indigenous people's ability “to exercise, assert, and defend their constitutionally-protected and judicially-recognized Indigenous Title and Rights to their respective territories.”

“It is absolutely appalling that as Indigenous Peoples protecting our territories we may be faced with the many insidious, provocative and heavy-handed powers that are granted by this omnibus Bill C-51,” says Grand Chief Phillip. “The Harper Government has dramatically changed internal government practices, policymaking structures, and decision-making processes to serve an explicit natural resources development agenda. We have witnessed the gutting of environmental legislation, clamp-down of scientific analysis and comprehensive surveillance programs of Indigenous and environmental opposition.”

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip. Walking up #BurnabyMountain. pic.twitter.com/Z3EclOSleW

— UBCIC (@UBCIC) November 27, 2014

Grand Chief Phillip says that he was arrested at Burnaby Mountain for civil disobedience while protesting the pipeline, which he believes doesn't respect either Indigenous laws nor their authority to protect territories from risk of oil spills.

“I believe under the draconian measures of Bill C-51, I would be identified as a terrorist,” says Grand Chief Phillip. “Regardless, I will continue to do what is necessary to defend the collective birthright of our grandchildren.”

Both B.C.'s Privacy Commissioner and the federal NDP party have raised concerns over the bill as well.

Photo Credit: UBCIC