On December 21, 2025, Werner Stump, President of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, wrote a powerful article in Northern Beat News about the government’s true intentions with the DRIPA legislation. That article rightly garnered wide attention, as it was both accurate and frightening to those who are not paying attention to the government’s true DRIPA “agenda”.

In the final paragraphs of that article Mr. Stump wrote:

“The Eby government has demonstrated disregard for true reconciliation by orchestrating a plan, without a public mandate, that has driven a wedge between British Columbians. The Premier believes that DRIPA is about correcting the “original colonial mistake” and his advisors are quoted as saying reconciliation “will require affairs to be utterly re-organized” rather than building positive relations in a balanced manner. Reconciliation is important work that needs to be pursued, but the pathway we are on, including DRIPA, needs to be abandoned. It is time for a made-in-B.C. solution that is workable for all parts of society. British Columbian’s deserve transparency, truth and open dialogue. The conversations may be difficult, but we deserve straight-talk on reconciliation. The B.C. government must define clear steps with a well-articulated vision for a balanced end result that is socially and economically rounded. We need a fresh start in more ways than one.”

At the time of the article, the BC Court of Appeal had already issued its judgment in the Gitxaala case, determining that effectively DRIPA had made UNDRIP the positive law of BC with immediate effect

Premier Eby and his Attorney General have committed to make amendments to DRIPA. There have been a chorus of calls for the absolute repeal of that legislation. Business communities have been less direct, suggesting some amendments to DRIPA that go beyond just “court-proofing” its content. Other business associations could be said to be taking cover from publicly commenting, because their members are directly engaged in trying to get resource projects approved and are buying in to the “pay to play” realities of Section 7 Agreements and the requirement for Aboriginal consent. The government has made not playing in that game a non-option for many businesses – particularly in the mining sector.

This Op-ed was published in the March 2026 edition of Beef In BC, a publication of the BC Cattlemen’s Association

Read the full Op-ed below