Members of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs are deeply and profoundly saddened to hear of the sudden and unexpected passing of Arthur Manuel.

On behalf of our elders, leaders and chiefs, we offer our sincere sympathies and condolences to the Manuel family with respect to their tremendous loss.

Arthur served for many years as chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band, chair of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, and leader and spokesperson for the Interior Alliance. He was a member of the UBCIC's Chief Council. Most importantly, he was a good father and a wonderful grandfather who was devoted to them all, spending as much time with them as he could.

Arthur Manuel was, without question, one of Canada's strongest and most outspoken indigenous leaders in the defence of our indigenous land and human rights. He travelled extensively throughout Canada, North America, and around the world in his unwavering and relentless efforts to champion the cause of our indigenous rights. He relentlessly worked on land-claim issues, calling for change to Canada's fundamental flawed policy on indigenous land claims.

At this terribly sad moment in our history, we would like to thank the Manuel family for sharing Arthur with us for all these years.

We are so profoundly grateful for Arthur's many sacrifices and contributions to our ongoing struggles to seek a full measure of justice for our indigenous peoples.

Arthur's legacy will continue to reverberate throughout our ongoing indigenous history for many, many generations to come.