Conservative Leader and Critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad, together with Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA and Deputy Critic Scott McInnis, are calling on Premier David Eby to immediately pause all negotiated Aboriginal-title agreements until the Cowichan Tribes v. Canada ruling is resolved.

“The Premier is negotiating Aboriginal title in a government-to-government framework, while admitting he doesn’t yet know the rules of the game, and is certainly not bringing the public along in the process,” said Rustad. “You can’t tell homeowners not to worry while quietly signing agreements that require absolute clarity around the indefeasible ownership over their private property.”

The MLAs pointed to the shíshálh (Sunshine Coast) Foundation Agreement, which includes negotiating Aboriginal title, as evidence that the NDP government is moving ahead in secrecy and without legal clarity. “That agreement was hidden from the public for five months for political convenience, which has already broken the circle of trust for all British Columbians around what his government is doing,” said McInnis.

Both the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association and the Pender Harbour and Area Residents Association (PHARA) have written to the Premier demanding the same pause, warning of uncertainty for property owners and municipalities.

“The Premier says he wants to protect homeowners, yet refuses to tell them where he is negotiating Aboriginal Title,” said McInnis. “British Columbians have a right to know if their property is affected; it shouldn’t take a freedom-of-information request to find out. The government must also disclose how many Aboriginal title cases are before B.C. courts and whether any involve private or municipal lands.”

McInnis also cited constitutional law expert Dr. Dwight Newman, KC, who proposed a targeted amendment under Section 43 of the Constitution Act, 1982, to protect property rights without a full constitutional overhaul.

“There’s a responsible way to reconcile rights while protecting property, but this government’s approach is fuelling anxiety and undermining reconciliation,” said McInnis.

Rustad added, “Premier Eby has lost the trust of the public around reconciliation. The government’s secretive approach and drive to play politics is causing unnecessary divisions in B.C.  The Premier himself admitted that the Cowichan ruling ‘throws a wrench’ into reconciliation, yet he has no plan to remove it. The secrecy is pushing us backward in our reconciliation efforts. British Columbians deserve leadership that restores trust, not secrecy that erodes it.”

Rustad and McInnis affirmed their support for open, tripartite treaty negotiations conducted transparently, not secretive “foundation agreements” that erode confidence in reconciliation.

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