BC Lieutenant Governor, Judith Guichon, is holding a Black Rod reconciliation ceremony today for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Union of BC Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip declined the invitation.
The Black Rod is brought out in the Legislative Assembly when royalty or the Lieutenant Governor is present. Phillip was invited to hand the “Ring of Reconciliation” to the Duke and ask him to fasten it to the ceremonial black staff.
Phillip’s invitation whether it would be appropriate for him to attend was discussed at last week’s UBCIC’s Annual General Assembly with other Union members.
“Needless to say, the response was a resounding ‘No.'”
Phillip says he’s protesting what he feels are broken campaign promises from the Trudeau government and continual adversity from the Clark government. Phillip hopes his absence can bring awareness to a number of issues.
“Regrettably, and unfortunately, the appalling levels of poverty in Aboriginal communities has become somewhat normalized within the eyes of Canadian society so when we witness situations such as Attawapiskat … the tragedy of youth suicides that sweep through our First Nations communities, children dying in care, child apprehension skyrocketing, substandard dilapidated housing being responsible for the deaths of indigenous peoples in fires in those homes in the winter; that’s the everyday reality of our people across this country.
“To participate in a symbolic reconciliation ceremony that would suggest there’s peace, harmony, and prosperity within the First Nations communities just doesn’t reconcile with the reality that is on the ground.”
The Union is fighting on a legal front as well.
In support of Phillip’s absence, UBCIC Vice-President Chief Robert Chamberlin, said the this in a statement today:
“Both the federal and provincial governments are expected and called upon in Canada to uphold the honour of the Crown. The Government of BC’s fast-track ‘to the point of no return’ approach on Site C and the spirit of the Conservative’s ‘stall and litigate’ tactic permeating the Trudeau Government’s handling of T’aaq-wiihak, the implementation of Nuu-chah-nulth Fishing Rights, are two recent examples of why First Nations are heading to the courts to compel both governments to uphold the honour of the Crown.” (sic)
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