Dwight Newman discusses the consequences of the Cowichan ruling and the Musqueam deal on Full Comment.

Confusing messages are the only guarantee after the Cowichan ruling and the Musqueam deal. The August court case confirmed that a First Nation band has “title” over B.C. land that belongs to private property owners, while the federal government’s deal confirms Musqueam rights and title over Vancouver.

Dwight Newman, a law professor specializing in Indigenous rights, tells Brian Lilley that assurances to private property owners that they won’t lose their land only go so far. What might not be targeted today could be tomorrow, he says. They discuss how the court case and government deal, along with the growing power of UNDRIP in Canadian law, only give more power and leverage to First Nations. And not just in B.C., but across Canada. (Recorded March 5, 2026.)

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