The BC NDP says proposed Crown land transfers to First Nations reflect existing treaties and commitments, after reports described negotiations over hundreds of parcels.
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The BC NDP says its actions are justified after reports alleged the government was negotiating a “secret land deal” involving Crown land transfers to First Nations.
In the coverage, Conservative candidate Scott McInnis said the lack of transparency is “disturbing,” arguing, “This is nothing new for this government to make these very important decisions around Crown land and First Nations and not tell anybody about it.”
The reports, based on confidential documents obtained by Northern Beat, say the NDP government was in negotiations to transfer some 400 parcels of Crown land to First Nations.
The documents also say the government was promising legislative changes aimed at limiting compensation for forestry companies with tenures on that Crown land.
According to the reporting, the plan was put on hold when the election was called.
NDP leader David Eby said the transfers reflect existing treaties and other commitments under the process of reconciliation, with some dating back decades, and he said the proposed legislation was intended to reduce costs for taxpayers.
Eby said, “The challenge that we face as a government is that there’s a very significant fiscal cost associated with transferring those tenures to First Nations under these agreements,” and added, “And so what the documents are about, what the proposal was about, was about reducing the cost and the burden of these obligations that we have.”
The reports come as party leaders discussed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) during a televised leaders’ debate Wednesday night.
According to the BC Treaty Commission, DRIPA “sets out a process to ensure provincial laws are consistent with the rights defined in the UN Declaration, an action plan to achieve the objectives, and annual reporting on progress.”
Eby said the issue is crucial and said the government is appealing recent court decisions to ensure private property in B.C. is protected.
Lorne Doerkson, the leader of the BC Conservatives, said his party would repeal DRIPA if elected, saying, “I’m committed to doing that for a number of reasons,” and arguing that the legislation has not helped and that B.C. has become more divided.
Emily Lowan, leader of the BC Green Party, said First Nations have been “unequivocal” that the government must do the work to implement DRIPA, and she said, “You know, we’ve seen from both parties, you know, just a willingness to engage on this bad-faith argument has no bearing on private property.”
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