Union-favouring community agreement seemingly at odds with Indigenous rights in Duncan, B.C. | 24CA News
The development of a brand new hospital in Duncan, B.C., on Vancouver Island, seems to be placing the province’s union-favouring “Community Benefits Agreement” at odds with its dedication to Indigenous rights.
A Cowichan Tribes member and proprietor of a neighborhood contracting agency has spoken out.
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Jon Coleman stated his and different Indigenous-owned firms are being sidelined on their very own conventional territory.
“I thought it was an all-inclusive thing here,” stated Coleman, proprietor of Jon-co Contracting.
“Basically, I’ve gone backward. You know how much money is being torn back with these unions and this CBA? … They’re stealing out of our community.”
The $1.45-billion Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project is the primary main well being facility to be constructed underneath the Community Benefits Agreement, which incorporates rising Indigenous employment. Yet firms owned by the Cowichan Tribes stated they’re being shut out as a result of their employees will not be members of unions underneath the settlement.
“It just feels so frustrating,” stated Cowichan Tribes Chief Lydia Hwitsum.
“It’s not consistent with the word inclusion they’re consistently using in their Community Benefits Agreement and in the pathway to economic reconciliation, as well.”
Even with B.C. dedicated to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Chief Hwitsum stated excluding her members’ firms from the mega-project except their staff turn out to be unionized reveals the programs in place want altering.
“We’ve proposed solutions and we keep hearing no,” she informed Global News.
“We come back and we propose another solution. Opportunities are slipping away.”
In an announcement, the B.C. authorities informed Global News that it’s in an “ongoing conversation” with Cowichan Tribes concerning the matter.
“We are in an ongoing conversation with Cowichan Tribes to discuss their concerns,” Ministry of Health workers stated in an e mail.
“We’re listening and continue to work to support economic opportunities for their members. Local Indigenous tradespeople are working on the project, including members of Cowichan Tribes.”
Coleman stated he had deliberate to have no less than 15 employees on the challenge. Instead, he stated the financial impression has been devastating, forcing him to pivot his business and ship again gear.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
