It was unanimous. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 8-0 recognizing the right of the Tsilhqot’in to a specific tract of land in the B.C. Interior.
The director of the Indigenous Legal Studies Program at the University of British Columbia law school says it’s too early to definitively say what the impact will be. Gordon Christie added, “we won’t really know the implications, I think, probably for a number of years, maybe a decade or so. Let’s see what the province does in reaction to this and what impact this has on resource development.”
The court ruling gives the Tsilhqot’in title to 1800 square kilometres of land. It is a decision that is being cheered by opponents to both the Northern Gateway and Trans Mountain pipelines.
The Grand Chief of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, Stewart Phillip, said about the oil companies, “I think they’re probably back on their heels.”
The Supreme Court’s decision is being studied in other parts of Canada. Alberta with its oil sands is certainly in that group.
Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tsilhqot’in, insists this is not shutting the door on potential projects, “you want certainty for your investors to come into British Columbia and Canada? Then deal with us as First Nations people, deal with us in a meaningful way, in a respectful way.”
(Source: National Post/CP)
Leave a Reply