From: no_offline_contact@example.com   
      
   On 2026-01-06 11:01 p.m., BTR1701 wrote:   
   > Here's hoping Rhino or Goat don't find themselves out on the street watching   
   > as an Indian tribe takes over their homes...   
      
   Goat has a much bigger problem then I do. The tribes there have so many   
   claims in BC that literally well over 100% of BC is contested! Yes, I   
   said "literally" and I meant it. The tribes have OVERLAPPING land claims   
   so the amount of claimed land exceeds 100%.   
      
   It is my understanding (i.e. not verified with a lawyer) that my area   
   WAS legally purchased from the local tribes so I should be fine.   
   >   
   > -------------------------   
   > The British Columbia Supreme Court decision in Cowichan Tribes v. Canada   
   > (Attorney General), 2025 BCSC 1490 found that the Cowichan Tribes proved   
   > aboriginal title under the test from Delgamuukw v. British Columbia (1997)   
   and   
   > Tsilhqot'in Nation v. British Columbia (2014):   
   >   
   > (1) Sufficient Occupation   
   >   
   > (2) Continuity   
   >   
   > (3) Exclusivity   
   >   
   > Effect on Private Property:   
   >   
   > This was the first Canadian court decision to declare aboriginal title over   
   > lands including fee simple (private) ownership. The court ruled that Crown   
   > grants and vestings were issued without statutory or constitutional authority   
   > (violating Article 13 of BC's Terms of Union and reserve policies),   
   > constituting unjustifiable infringements on aboriginal title under the   
   Sparrow   
   > and Tsilhqot'in frameworks.   
   >   
   > These grants did not extinguish title, as provinces lack jurisdiction to do   
   > so; instead, aboriginal title coexists as a prior, senior right that burdens   
   > fee simple interests.   
   >   
   > [In other words, good luck ever selling your house.]   
   >   
   > For developed and private lands (about 125 privately held properties in the   
   > claim area): Fee simple titles held by third parties (private owners) remain   
   > valid and indefeasible under the Land Title Act until reconciled through   
   > negotiation or further litigation.   
   >   
   > Owners can continue using their property but aboriginal title constrains   
   > incompatible uses (e.g., no new developments without consent or   
   > justification).\   
   >   
   > [Gee, thanks, judge for your permission to continue to live in my own house.]   
   >   
   > Legal defenses such as limitations periods, laches, and bona fide purchaser   
   > status were rejected by the court, despite being both relevant and legitimate   
   > defenses, in order to "prioritize reconciliation".   
   >   
   > [In other words, appeasing the Indians is what's important here so if we have   
   > to ignore the law to keep you white people from prevailing here, that's what   
   > we're going to do.]   
   >   
   > Effect on Public Property:   
   >   
   > Titles held by Canada (mostly industrial) and the City of Richmond (mostly   
   > undeveloped) were declared defective and invalid, with the ruling suspended   
   > for 18 months to allow transfer back to the Cowichan Tribes (except a 12-acre   
   > airport fuel depot). All lands belonging to the Vancouver Fraser Port   
   > Authority were ceded back to the tribe.   
   >   
   > The ruling creates uncertainty for private landowners in Richmond, who may   
   > face clouded titles but not immediate eviction from their homes or loss of   
   > deeds.   
   >   
   > Affected homeowners were not formally notified during the trial (a 2017   
   ruling   
   > by the judge deemed it necessary to avoid hostility), leading to surprise   
   when   
   > the verdict was handed down and a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging   
   > malfeasance by the government.   
   >   
   >   
      
   This is what comes of living in a province with "progressive" leaders   
   and activist judges who legislate from the bench. BC is presently a very   
   blue state in American terms but the premier only hung on by a thread at   
   the last election so I'm hopeful he will be gone next time around. Goat   
   will have a far better idea than me on whether that's realistic but BC   
   has long swung like a pendulum between the socialists and the small 'c'   
   conservatives. I think they're due to swing back very soon now. Whether   
   a change in leadership can reverse this decision is a much different   
   question though.   
      
      
   --   
   Rhino   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)