Karen Restoule talks land claims, unceeded territory and transparency with Warren Mirko and Geoffery Moyse
The Cowichan Tribes v. Canada (Attorney General) decision sent shockwaves through British Columbia and beyond.
Geoffrey S. Moyse, a senior lawyer with 31 years’ experience in Indigenous and public law, and Warren Mirko, executive director of the Public Land Use Society, break down what the court actually decided—and what it didn’t.
They explain why British Columbia’s lack of historic treaties fuels uncertainty over private and public lands, and how terms like “unceded” and “stolen land” are reshaping the public’s understanding and the government’s practice around Aboriginal land claims.
They also raise concerns about transparency and accountability when landowners are left uninformed about title claims affecting their property, and why closed-door land-use agreements pose serious questions for certainty, democratic oversight, and long-term governance.
Watch the episode: