Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is a First Nations political organization founded in 1969 in response to Jean Chrétien's White Paper proposal to assimilate Status Indians and disband the Department of Indian Affairs. Since the disbanding of the Allied Tribes of British Columbia in 1927, there had been many attempts to create a unified provincial organization, but conflict between the primarily coastal/Protestant Native Brotherhood of British Columbia and the primarily interior/Catholic National American Indian Brotherhood had been too great. At a three-day meeting in November 1969 in Kamloops, 175 provincial chiefs unanimously voted to create the UBCIC. In 1971, the UBCIC adopts its Constitution and By-laws and is incorporated under the BC Societies Act. Leadership UBCIC operates through an Executive Committee and a Chief's Council composed of chiefs representing member indigenous communities. The first three-person executive consisted of Victor Adolf, Heber Maitland, and Philip Paul. Presidents George Manuel (President, 1979–81) Robert (Bob) Manuel (1981–83) Grand Chief Saul Terry (1983–98) Grand Chief Stewart Phillip (1998–Present) Vice presidents Chief Robert Chamberlin, OWADI (2009–Present) Secretary treasurers Kukpi7 Judy Wilson (unknown–Present) History In 1969, then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Indian Affairs Jean Chrétien released a policy document officially