Historical Context

Reconciling our collective colonial history will require enormous effort and work. Ending colonialism will not happen instantly, but there are concrete steps UBC has taken, and plans to take, to advance this as a priority.

An understanding of the role that UBC, and all post-secondary institutions in Canada, have played in colonization is important to put the ISP into context. Universities trained many of the policy makers and administrators who operated the residential school system, and professors conducted research at residential schools that exploited their deplorable conditions without attempting to change them, for example.

Today, colonialism remains a daily reality for many Indigenous students, faculty and staff at UBC, where Eurocentric approaches to teaching and research are valued and Indigenous worldviews and knowledge systems are largely excluded from the classroom and wider campus.

As demonstrated by the initiatives taken to date, our journey is marked by incremental forms of success. These successes are important, however, they are limited in scope and, taken together, have not yet provided a sufficient model for advancing reconciliation. They have addressed neither the underlying issues at the centre of the University’s structure nor the work the University needs to undertake to lay an enduring foundation for the future relationship with Indigenous peoples on our campuses and beyond.

The last decade has seen significant progress in the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights in Canada and around the globe. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) published its 94 Calls to Action in 2015. This was followed in 2016 by Canada’s full endorsement, without qualifications, of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) final report, with its 231 Calls for Justice, was released in June 2019. In November 2019, BC passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and on June 21, 2021, Bill C-15, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act received Royal Assent.

These events have led to a new set of expectations for educational institutions in upholding Indigenous Peoples’ human rights. In BC, provincial mandates now require universities to have response plans in place and report annually on their implementation progress. Through this Plan, our aim is to foster a more inclusive and respectful environment where the truth about our failings as an educational institution in the past serves as a continuous reminder of why the work ahead must be prioritized throughout the university.

See a timeline of UBC’s progress to date.