The Quw’utsun (Cowichan) First Nation was exactly right in 2017:
""We don’t want to argue about settlers' interests versus First Nations' interests — we want to argue about what the Crown did wrong.””
They knew that if the case was framed as ‘taking over private property rights’, that it would be politicized and a lightning rod for racism and misinformation when that was not the point of their claim, which was against the Crown.
""It would be wrong. It’s wrong morally, it’s wrong legally. It’s pitting interests against each other when the person who caused the problem is the Crown.””
Another excellent report from CBC's Jason Proctor.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cowichan-claim-aboriginal-private-property-9.7000502
#FirstNations #Cowichan #PrivateProperty #Indigenous #RightsandTitle #Land
ANALYSIS | 'It would be wrong': Why Richmond, B.C., residents weren't told about First Nation's claim to title | CBC News
Since a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled earlier this year that Aboriginal title coexists alongside fee simple title on around 125 privately-held parcels of land in Richmond, a question has hung over the case: why didn't the private landowners know the title to their property was up for debate?