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Indigenous Food Wellness Hub.

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Parks and Reclamation How First Nations in B.C. are taking back control of stewardship and access in their traditional territories. 2023 CBC

CBC News article on how First Nations in B.C. are taking back control of stewardship and access in their traditional territories.

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Aboriginal Harvesting Rights

Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC website with information and resources on Aboriginal harvesting rights in BC.

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A Guide to Aboriginal Harvesting Rights: Fishing, Hunting, Trapping, Gathering

This guide outlines the Aboriginal harvesting rights of: -status Indians (page 4), -non-status Indians (page 5) and -Métis people (page 10). This guide also discusses: -treaty rights and harvesting (page 12), -conservation, public health, and public safety rules (page 16), -pre-harvest checklists (page 20), -where to get more information about harvesting in BC (page 23), and -where to get legal help if you’re charged with a harvesting offence (page 25).

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Cultivating Abundance: First Nations Perspectives from the BC First Nations Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Forum

The title of this document, Cultivating Abundance , recognizes that Indigenous Peoples have inhabited and cared for the landscapes and ecosystems comprising what is now called British Columbia since time immemorial. Indigenous Peoples' laws, values, and stewardship traditions maintained complex ecosystems and an abundance of wildlife that in turn sustained vibrant Indigenous Nations, communities, and cultures. The title also points to the ongoing vital role of Indigenous Peoples' jurisdiction, knowledge, and stewardship practices in restoring abundant and diverse wildlife populations across their traditional territories.

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Intellectual Property and the Safeguarding of Traditional Cultures

This publication by Jane Anderson and Molly Torsen offers legal information and compiles practical experiences on the management of intellectual property for cultural institutions whose collections comprise traditional cultural expressions. It seeks to respond directly to the needs of cultural institutions and Indigenous and traditional communities dealing with the preservation, safeguarding and protection of cultural heritage.

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Policy Paper: Recognizing and IncludingIndigenous Cultural Heritage in B.C.

First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) has prepared this paper to address the immediate need to revitalize, manage, and protect Indigenous cultural heritage (ICH) in meaningful and substantive ways.

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Biopiracy: Abolish Corporate Hijacking of Indigenous Medicinal Entities

In this paper, we present an overview of typical cases of global biopiracy, bioprospecting via introduction of cost-effective deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fingerprinting and international protocol with Private-Public-People Partnership concept as excellent forms of utilization of natural resources. We propose certain perspectives as scientists towards abolishing biopiracy and also to foster the fair utilization of natural resources; since the economy of most developing countries is agriculture based, the gross domestic product of the developing countries could be increased by enhanced bioprospecting via introduction of cost-effective DNA fingerprinting technologies and thus not being a pray of corporate hijacking.“Biopiracy is biological theft; illegal collection of indigenous plants by corporations who patent them for their own use” (Vandana Shiva).

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Tri-council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans: Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples of Canada

This chapter of the Tri-council Policy Statement on research involving Indigenous Peoples in Canada, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, marks a step toward establishing an ethical space for dialogue on common interests and points of difference between researchers and Indigenous communities engaged in research.

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Beyond Conservation:Working Respectfully with Indigenous People and Their Knowledge Systems

This toolkit was developed by the IPCA Knowledge Basket, offering guidance to prepare you for the work of weaving multiple ways of knowing, and of working respectfully with Indigenous Peoples and their Knowledge Systems. Decolonizing collaboration, research, and conservation and stewardship is an ongoing effort that will continue for generations to come. It requires a certain readiness on the part of non-Indigenous people that is rooted in humility, curiosity, a willingness to learn and change, and a clearly expressed intention to embrace other ways of knowing. This toolkit section outlines a very small portion of what is required to decolonize our work to protect and preserve the natural world.

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United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (S.C. 2021, c. 14)

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (S.C. 2021, c. 14)

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Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

The BC provincial government passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Declaration Act) into law in November 2019. The Declaration Act establishes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) as the Province’s framework for reconciliation, as called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. The Declaration Act aims to create a path forward that respects the human rights of Indigenous Peoples while introducing better transparency and predictability in the work we do together.

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OCAP: Ownership, Control, Access and Possession

The First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession – more commonly known as OCAP® – assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be used.

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