Most members of B.C.s legislature vote against bill to stop land acknowledgements

A bill in British Columbia's legislature to ban Indigenous land acknowledgements failed to pass its first reading, highlighting significant divisions within the Conservative party. Proposed by Dallas Brodie of One BC, the bill aimed to prohibit acknowledgements that "deny sovereignty of the Crown" and impose collective guilt based on historical actions. Indigenous Relations Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert condemned the bill as "hate, pure and simple," emphasizing the necessity of acknowledging Indigenous history for effective reconciliation. Most legislators voted against the measure, but a faction of Conservatives, including Heather Maahs and Harman Bhangu, supported it alongside Independent Jordan Kealy. Conservative House Leader A’aliya Warbus, an Indigenous member, argued that these acknowledgements are crucial and do not harm anyone.

She stated that the Conservative vote was not whipped and that the majority of her party supports free speech, which the bill would undermine. Brodie, expelled from the Conservative caucus earlier this year, referred to the acknowledgements as a "grooming exercise" that encourages surrender of land rights. The outcome underscores ongoing tensions regarding Indigenous relations and the role of historical acknowledgment in politics.