Grand Chief Stewart Phillip on Bill C-38: It's time to 'take this to the streets'

This week, the Conservative government passed its sprawling – and controversial – omnibus budget implementation bill, which brings dramatic changes to environmental protection, employment insurance, industry regulation, pensions and many other facets of Canadian life.

On Wednesday, as MPs prepared for a 24-hour filibuster voting marathon, protestors rallied outside more than 80 Conservative MPs' offices in opposition to Bill C-38. I reported on the protests over at the Tyee. But less widely reported are the many Indigenous communities' particular concerns about the budget bill.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), has been one such outspoken critic of Bill C-38. The UBCIC blacked out its website, alongside more than 500 other organizations, earlier this month, and has issued press releases and spoken at rallies calling for the need to fight this legislation.