VANCOUVER – A lawyer representing four University of British Columbia professors and a former UBC student who are suing the university with the support of the Canadian Constitution Foundation has written to the Sylix Okanagan Nation to clarify that the Petition is not intended to diminish Indigenous rights or Indigenous presence on campus.
The letter clarifies that nothing in the Petition is intended to prevent the administration of UBC from continuing to engage with Syilx Okanagan Chiefs on the path to reconciliation, from continuing to promote awareness of Syilx Okanagan history and contributions within UBC, negotiating agreements in respect of land or financial management with Syilx Okanagan Nation or from officially and formally acknowledging the rights and political existence of Okanagan Syilx Nation at administrative or governance functions.
The purpose of the Petition is to defend the academic freedom of students, professors and other members of the University community and to ensure the University’s full compliance of s.66 of BC’s University Act.
