(Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC - February 9, 2011)  This afternoon, Chief Bob Chamberlin, Vice-President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, will formally present the UBCIC’s submission on Bill S-11, An Act Respecting the Safety of Drinking Water on First Nation Lands, to the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples.

A solution to ensure safety of drinking water must be developed in a joint process driven by First Nation communities that respects our constitutionally protected Aboriginal Title, Rights, and Treaty Rights; be adequately funded for success; be based on recommendations from the Expert Panel on Safe Drinking Water; and adhere to principles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The committee proceedings can be viewed via webcast at http://senparlvu.parl.gc.ca/.  Chief Chamberlin will present from 3:45-4:45 pm (Pacific).

The UBCIC submission is available at http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/files/PDF/UBCICSubmissiontoSenate_S11_020911.pdf.

Media inquiries:

Chief Bob Chamberlin, Union of BC Indian Chiefs

Phone: (604) 684-0231