The commitment Horgan had made to the indigenous communities will certainly have far reaching effects and many unintended consequences.
This commitment forms a significant part of the LEAP Manifesto, which also includes a shift to a ‘low carbon economy’. Concerned Citizens for BC warned in March that the implementation of the LEAP Manifesto would eliminate 90,000 jobs and $5 billion in annual salaries. This will devastate resource communities and families throughout the province. This includes indigenous communities. The mining industry, for example, is one of the largest employers of the indigenous people.
Horgan says that “with the UN Declaration…we can revitalize communities and build a province that is stable and healthy for all British Columbians.” It is probable that exactly the opposite will happen. The UN declaration states that the indigenous peoples have the “right to development in accordance with their own needs and interests”, they have the “right to own, use, develop and control the lands, territories and resources they possess.”
Does this grant of self determination, mean the government will not interfere or intervene? Will they not be subject to taxation and regulation by the government?
We believe all people have the right of self determination and freedom from the yoke of oppressive governments. In fact, buried in the text of the UN declaration, there is a statement affirming “the fundamental importance the right to self determination of ALL peoples, by virtue of which they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.”
Therefore, if the indigenous people have their self determination to be freed from their political masters, then all the people of the province should be treated the same way. This is only fair and just. We cannot have different systems for specific groups of people.
We have too much government that stifles our freedoms and productivity. We don’t need government to tell us how to live our lives. We want lower taxes and less government. We want freedom of speech, choice and expression. Respect for individual rights and freedoms is paramount. We have the right to protect our life, liberty and property from those that seek to steal it from us – including governments.
Finally, we can determine our domestic policy ourselves. We must distance ourselves from the UN, its corruption and globalist agendas.
Respectfully,
Bill Walker
BC Libertarian Party candidate for Nanaimo