Youth Representatives

Christian Harpe

Tl'azt'en Nation

BCAFN Male Youth Representative 
 

My name is Christian Harpe. I am Dakelh from Tl’azt’en Nation and belong to the Lusilyoo, Frog Clan, of Tache. My journey into Indigenous leadership began with my own journey of reconnection.

Like many Indigenous youth, I grew up away from my home community and was not always strongly connected to my culture or Nation. Over the past seven years, finding my way back has shaped who I am and the work I have chosen to pursue. My journey began while working with Indigenous youth at a Friendship Centre and eventually brought me home to Tl’azt’en, where I became the Youth and Recreation Coordinator. A highlight of this role was helping create a Youth Council and supporting young people to become involved in leadership and governance.

This work first connected me with the BC Assembly of First Nations. I supported Tl’azt’en youth in attending BCAFN conferences, engaging with leadership, and learning about the spaces where decisions affecting First Nations are discussed. These experiences sparked my own desire to one day serve as a BCAFN Youth Representative. Since then, I have continued participating in BCAFN spaces, including moderating a panel on Indigenous youth in governance in March 2024 and, most recently, participating in Emerging Leaders: Elected Youth in BC at the 2026 Economic Development Forum.

In 2024, I was elected to Tl’azt’en Nation Council and am currently the youngest Councillor at our Council table. This has been an incredible learning curve in understanding Indigenous community governance and has strengthened my interest in how our Nations interact with provincial, national, and international systems. It has also strengthened my commitment to ensuring young people understand the rights of Indigenous Peoples through UNDRIP internationally, Canada’s United Nations Declaration Act, and British Columbia’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Most recently, this journey brought me to Nairobi, Kenya, where I participated in the United Nations Environment Assembly.

Alongside leadership, I am completing my Master’s in Clinical Counselling at UNBC, where much of my academic work has focused on Indigenous historical and intergenerational trauma. This education has strengthened how I understand the impacts of our histories on identity, belonging, wellness, and connection today. I believe this perspective is important in youth advocacy because meaningful representation starts with understanding that Indigenous youth are at different places in their own journeys.

As BCAFN Male Youth Representative, I want to meet youth where they are. That means supporting youth who are already active leaders and advocates, youth who are beginning to find their voice, and youth who may feel disconnected or unsure where they fit. I want to help youth better understand BCAFN, their rights, the opportunities available to them, and how they can be involved. I also want to support the development of a strong and sustainable BCAFN Youth Council that creates meaningful opportunities for youth to have a voice within the organization. Above all, I want to help create pathways for young people across BC to see themselves as part of the future of their Nations and Indigenous leadership.