Overview
- David Rosenberg says the Cowichan Tribes are not targeting privately held land within the Fraser River title area.
- He says a likely outcome, if the province negotiates in good faith, is a treaty that recognizes Aboriginal title without extinguishing fee-simple rights.
- An August B.C. Supreme Court ruling recognized Cowichan title over part of the area, found some Crown and city grants defective, and imposed a duty on the province to negotiate.
- British Columbia, the City of Richmond, and the Musqueam First Nation plan to appeal, and Richmond has invited affected owners to an October 28 information meeting.
- Rosenberg calls a push for an immediate Supreme Court of Canada ruling unrealistic and cites 19th-century events involving Richard Moody to explain the case’s unique history.