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Canada: Cowichan Tribes Granted Land Title in Richmond

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1 day ago

Above: The Provincial Court of British Columbia, Canada. Image copyright: Stephanie Lamy/Bloomberg/Getty Images

story last updated 16 hrs ago

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

Historic justice has finally been served after 150 years of being denied access to ancestral lands. The Cowichan people maintained their village at Tl'uqtinus for generations before British colonial authorities sold their lands to settlers without their knowledge in the 1870s. This landmark victory validates oral histories passed down through generations and establishes crucial precedent for Indigenous land rights across Canada.

Cowichantribes Cowichan Valley Citizen

Pro-establishment narrative

Property rights and economic stability face serious threats from this unprecedented court decision, which undermines the foundation of clear land titles. Secure private ownership underpins mortgages, investor confidence, and real estate markets that benefit everyone. Indigenous title and private property rights cannot overlap — reconciliation cannot mean taking rights from one group to give to another. The government must appeal.

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Cynical narrative

The B.C. Supreme Court's radical Cowichan ruling proves where years of NDP policy were headed — from endless land acknowledgements and UNDRIP adoption to "uninvited guests" rhetoric and sweeping, undemocratic land use changes. It's the culmination of years of woke, morally muddled ideology shaping provincial law. What was once symbolic language is now driving real and far-reaching legal consequences.