Penticton Indian Band demands resignation of MLAs over controversial statement

The snpink’tn Indian Band Indian (Penticton Indian Band) is condemning a recent statement made by three local MLAs about First Nations sovereignty.

The day after the federal election, which saw Mark Carney and the Liberals win the leadership, three MLAs issued a joint statement.

Tara Armstrong, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Cold Stream, Dallas Brodie of Vancouver Quilchena and Jordan Kealy of North Peace River spoke out about the election results and promised to continue their work building a “stronger and more prosperous BC.”

In addition to criticizing Carney’s “anti-energy agenda” and the effects of previous Liberal government policies on BC, the trio said that “

PIB said this week that “successive Liberal governments have neglected to address crucial issues impacting British Columbia,” listing “more than 200 Indigenous bands asserting sovereignty” as one of those issues.

In their response, syilx Nation Territory and the snpink’tn said that the MLAs statement "falsely portrays Indigenous sovereignty as a threat to British Columbia’s prosperity,” and that the MLAs should resign immediately.

“Indigenous sovereignty is not a threat—it is the law,” said Chief and Council of the snpink’tn Indian Band. “Assertions of Indigenous sovereignty are constitutionally protected rights and affirmed by Canadian and international law.

The first nation council added that the MLA’s statement “dangerously” groups Indigenous self-determination with unrelated political issues like uncontrolled immigration and equalization disparities, “perpetuating racist narratives and systemic discrimination against Indigenous Peoples.”

In March, a petition was launched calling for Armstrong's resignation due to her being "difficult to get a hold of" and generally being a no-show to pre-election debates. She left the BC Conservatives to join a new party alongside Brodie and Kealy following controversial remarks from Brodie about residential schools in BC.