Former BC cabinet minister and long-time MLA George Abbott is in Kamloops Tuesday night to talk about his new book, Unceded: Understanding British Columbia’s Colonial Past and Why it Matters — a sweeping look at British Columbia’s colonial history and its ongoing impact on Indigenous Peoples.

The free event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on October 7, in the Lecture Hall of the TRU Students’ Union Building. It will be a moderated discussion about the book’s themes, followed by audience Q&A. “It’s not a lecture,” Abbott said. “It’s a conversation. I want to hear people’s questions and perspectives, and I’m really looking forward to that.”

Why Unceded Matters

Abbott, who served nearly two decades as an MLA and held multiple cabinet roles, including Minister of Indigenous Relations, says the book was born from a moment that changed his political life.

In 2010, while visiting the Séké Dene village in northern BC to deliver a provincial apology for the harms caused by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, he saw firsthand the devastating legacy of displacement. “They clearly had been abused by government,” he said. “That experience stayed with me, and I wanted to understand how and why we allowed things to get to that point.”

Unceded traces the history of Indigenous dispossession in BC — from the colonial era through Confederation and into the present — offering a rare insider’s perspective on government policy and its long-term effects. “This book is my 237-page answer to a question I get all the time: Why are we still in this situation?” Abbott said. “It’s about helping British Columbians understand that the roots of today’s issues are deeply historical.”

He notes that when BC joined Canada in 1871, the settler population was a small minority — just 8,500 compared to an Indigenous population of roughly 45,000 — and yet no treaties were signed, and reserve lands were carved out sparsely and often reluctantly. “The way we entered Confederation set the tone,” he said. “Ottawa didn’t push for treaties. BC resisted expanding reserves. And that resistance shaped Indigenous relations for over a century.”

Powerful Panel Guests Join the Conversation

Abbott won’t be alone on stage tonight. He’ll be joined by:

• Jeffrey Rustand, a lawyer and legal advisor who has worked with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the United Nations, and the Canadian Constitution Foundation.

• Nathan Matthew, a respected Secwépemc leader who served as Chief of Simpcw First Nation for over 20 years, and two terms as Chairperson of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council. He’s currently a Secwépemc representative in Columbia River Treaty negotiations, and formerly served as Chancellor of TRU.

Their insights will help bring additional legal, historical, and Indigenous perspectives to the discussion around reconciliation and the book’s themes.

Books Available Thanks to Local Support

Copies of Unceded will be available for purchase at the event, thanks to Michael at Andrena’s Book Company, who Abbott says “really stepped up” to make the local book sales possible. “I’m so grateful to Michael — it means a lot to have local booksellers supporting this kind of conversation,” Abbott said.

Can’t Make It? Meet Abbott at Indigo Wednesday

For anyone who can’t make it out Tuesday night, Abbott will also be appearing at Indigo Books in Kamloops this Wednesday (Oct. 8) at 12:30 p.m. for a casual meet-and-greet and book signing at the author table.