PV Vancouver Bureau
The First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) comprised of the political executives of the BC Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), First Nations Summit (FNS), and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) has denounced the Trump administration’s intention to impose tariffs on imports from Canada.
In a powerful statement issued on February 6, the FNLC has demanded that responses by the governments of British Columbia and Canada respect and uphold the inherent and constitutionally protected title and rights and jurisdictions of First Nations.
As the statement stresses, Trump’s tariffs would wreak havoc on the Canadian and BC economies, potentially costing millions of jobs. “First Nations will be undeniably and disproportionately impacted by the Trump tariffs in violation of our basic human rights,” says the FNLC. “Any related concessions, particularly as they relate to the imposed border that has artificially divided our Nations, retaliatory actions, or relief efforts… in response to the tariffs must not exacerbate these impacts and must respect and uphold our title and rights.”
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC President, stated, “We are the original people of this land, and we maintain our inherent and unceded title and rights to it, and will continue to exercise our jurisdiction. First Nations must play a central role in developing and implementing any response to the specter of President Trump’s capricious, nonsensical and childish tariffs.”
BCAFN Regional Chief Terry Teegee urged efforts to seize new opportunities. “Working together, First Nations and Crown governments can navigate through this latest crisis in a way that benefits everyone, regardless of which colonial government is in power to our south in the future,” says Teegee. “Direct involvement of First Nations in the development and implementation of any related concessions or retaliatory and relief measures is vital.”
“Much of the economies of First Nations in BC are directly tied to resource development, a sector that will be hit hard by the Trump administration tariffs,” pointed out Robert Phillips of the First Nations Summit. “Economic opportunities and other relief for First Nations must be prioritized and expedited as part of any planned response, and fully respect the inherent, constitutional and human rights of First Nations.”
He added that “First Nations leaders are also deeply concerned with President Trump’s imperialist aspirations which are unconscionable and disregard and disrespect the rights of the Indigenous peoples of those regions, including First Nations in Canada.”
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