Members of the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia have rejected a proposed act that aimed to prevent publicly funded employees in schools and other public entities from delivering land acknowledgments. The proposal was put forward by Dallas Brodie, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, who was expelled from the B.C. Conservative Party in March following accusations from party leader John Rustad that she had disparaged the testimonies of survivors of residential schools.
Brodie’s private member’s bill, known as the Land Acknowledgement Prohibition Act, sought to prohibit acknowledgments that undermine the Crown’s sovereignty in British Columbia or assign collective blame to individuals based on their race, ancestry, or the actions of historical Canadian figures. Land acknowledgments recognize the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples who inhabited the land before settlers arrived and, in many cases, still reside there.
The majority of MLAs, 88 out of 93, voted against Brodie’s bill during a session in Victoria, marking a rare instance of opposition during a first reading. Only Conservative MLAs Harman Bhangu, Heather Maahs, Dallas Brodie, and Tara Armstrong supported the bill. Brodie and Armstrong, who were previously with the Conservative Party, established a new political entity called OneBC in July.
Former Conservative MLA Jordan Kealy also backed Brodie’s proposal. Following the vote, Conservative MLA Á’a:líya Warbus criticized the bill, asserting that it contradicted ongoing efforts for reconciliation with Indigenous communities in British Columbia, even if such endeavors provoke discomfort. Warbus emphasized the importance of engaging in challenging dialogues and aligning with the progressive trajectory of history.
Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Spencer Chandra Herbert highlighted the significance of acknowledging the history of First Nations in British Columbia and emphasized that banning land acknowledgments would deepen societal divisions rather than foster unity. He stressed the importance of confronting truths rather than concealing them.
The rejection of Brodie’s bill reflects differing perspectives on the role of land acknowledgments in acknowledging and respecting Indigenous histories and territories in British Columbia.