Josh Dehass, Litigation Director with the Canadian Constitution Foundation, writes in the National Post: If governments believe Aboriginal title claims are strong, then why not let the courts test them?
Last September, many Canadians were shocked to learn through a Haida Nation news release that British Columbia and Canada had gone behind closed doors in judges’ chambers and signed an agreement that recognized Aboriginal title over all of Haida Gwaii. Without having to prove their title in court, the Haida gained constitutionally protected rights over the entire archipelago.
Now, due to access to information requests from the Public Land Use Society (PLUS), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting public access to Crown land in B.C., we’re feeling the same sense of disbelief to learn that B.C. and the Carney government are poised to give up title to as much as 11 per cent of northwestern B.C. to the tiny Tahltan Nation, population 4,000.
Read the full article here: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/josh-dehaas-aboriginal-title-claims-should-be-proven-in-courts-not-signed-away-by-governments