Highlights
Engagement activities led to advice and input from First Nations and Métis leadership, as well as First Nations, Métis, Inuit and urban Indigenous representatives, organizations and people. Engagement results are available on the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction’s (SDPR) website.
Key highlights include:
- Communication with representatives from 61 First Nations, including Modern Treaty Nations, providing follow-up information, holding bilateral meetings (both at the First Nations Leadership Gathering and individual meetings), hosting engagement sessions and townhalls, attending First Nations Gatherings, presenting at Indigenous advisory tables and circles, focused discussions on legislative materials to support drafting approaches with representatives from all interested First Nations;
- Consultation with the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), specifically, the FNLC policy and legal staff through a number of legislative co-development discussions over the length of the project to support the development of B.C.’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Act; and
- Partnership with Métis Nation BC (MNBC) throughout the project including funding a Métis-led engagement approach and consultation discussions on legislative materials to support the development of B.C.’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Act.
The poverty reduction strategy, which will be released in Spring 2024, recognizes the ongoing practices and impacts of colonialism on First Nations, Métis and Inuit. It includes Indigenous-identified actions, as gathered through engagement activities over the last year and a review of previous reports. As a result of feedback received, distinctions-based language has also been added into the Poverty Reduction Strategy Act. Further changes include the addition of new requirements that, when reviewing, developing and updating the strategy, the minister must also consider:
- the systemic causes of poverty when developing and updating the strategy, and
- actions and progress measures respecting the reduction and prevention of poverty that are recommended by Indigenous Peoples.
Progress measures are not included in the strategy but will be made available in the poverty reduction strategy annual reports, which are legislatively required to be prepared by October 1 of each year, tabled in the legislature as soon as is practicable after October 1, and posted online.
How are we working together?
SDPR undertook a distinctions-based engagement from winter 2022/2023 through March 2024 to renew B.C.’s poverty reduction strategy by the spring of 2024.
SDPR developed a consultation and co-operation plan based on advice from Indigenous leadership organizations and advisory groups. This includes the Minister’s Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee whose membership includes Indigenous leadership representatives from FNLC, MNBC and the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC). SDPR hired an Indigenous facilitator (Mahihkan Management) to ensure engagement sessions were culturally safe, hosted in-person sessions, attended pre-existing conferences and gatherings, and provided appropriate honoraria and other financial supports at engagement sessions.
Métis were invited to attend engagement sessions hosted by the Indigenous facilitator, and there was Métis representation at three of the nine sessions. In addition, to ensure increased opportunity for Métis participation, SDPR funded a separate Métis engagement process through MNBC, focused on housing. This process resulted in a poverty reduction engagement and recommendations final report which informed the development of the strategy.
Urban Indigenous populations were engaged through various engagement streams: public survey, urban coalitions, town halls organized in partnership with BCAAFC, and SDPR attendance at gatherings, specifically, the BCAAFC membership meeting, the Elders Gathering and Gathering Our Voices Indigenous Youth Conference. SDPR has attended the BCAAFC membership meeting and Gathering Our Voices Indigenous Youth Conference in 2023 and 2024, and the ministry anticipates attending the Elders Gathering again in August 2024. SDPR had a number of co-development discussions on legislative materials to support drafting approaches with FNLC, specifically, the FNLC policy and legal staff. SDPR also had discussions on legislative materials to support drafting approaches with MNBC’s policy team as well as First Nations representatives who expressed interest.
Are there challenges?
Timing: The Poverty Reduction Strategy Act requires the strategy be tabled in the spring of 2024. Engagement with Indigenous partners was extended through to winter 2023 at the request of partners such as Métis Nation BC, who continued to receive feedback through December 2023. As a result, First Nations and Métis review of the poverty reduction strategy occurred through March 2024. Timelines are challenging but have been mitigated by sharing embargoed confidential drafts with interested First Nations and Métis representatives, who signed confidentiality agreements, to allow for a meaningful opportunity for input to be reflected. Addressing poverty requires broad and ongoing Indigenous engagement, so SDPR continues to engage all First Nations and seek invitations to pre-established Indigenous advisory councils and committees.