Following a recent B.C. Court of Appeal ruling causing widespread legal uncertainty across the province, Public Land Use Society (PLUS) is calling on the Government of BC to: - Repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), - Reaffirm Section 35 of the Constitution as the legal foundation for Aboriginal rights; - Restore transparent, lawful, and inclusive decision-making over Crown land; and - Ensure Indigenous and non-Indigenous rights are balanced fairly in the public interest. PLUS joins numerous business groups, elected officials, Aboriginal law experts, and community organizations asking for immediate action. “This decision proves that the government either misunderstood its own legislation or misled the public about its consequences,” said Warren Mirko, Executive Director of PLUS. “DRIPA is in direct conflict with Canada’s constitutional framework, and British Columbia cannot afford to maintain a law that brings litigation and uncertainty to 95 percent of the land base. DRIPA has failed and must be repealed in the public interest.” Read the full release here: publiclanduse.ca/news/public…

Great to see continued national news on BC's ongoing refusal to meet stakeholders regarding the imminent closure of important roads relied on by community: “They keep telling us it’s not a high value rec area,” said Colin Stuart, of the Four-Wheel Drive Association of B.C. @4WDABC “That couldn’t be further from the truth. People visit that area every season, no matter what time of year.” As Amber Lane of the Snowmobile Federation adds: “You have to remember that the people of Trout Lake, they don’t have a pool, they don’t have a library. They have trails. That community was originally a mining community and now focuses on summer and winter tourism. Without access to recreation, that community is slowly going to cease to exist.” #bcpoli

What's it take for a meeting? More than 15 stakeholder groups representing tens of thousands of Canadians are calling for a halt to a pending road closure. Thanks to @CTVNews for reporting, as Forestry Minister @rparmar_BC refuses to meet, despite the largest coition ever assembled to protect a single road. And while his Ministry hires 24/7 security to stop any protests - at the public expense. #bcpoli ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2…

Well said.

How are Vancouver and other major cities going to issue permits for anything if consent is required by all the First Nations that have land claims, regardless of Aboriginal title or treaty? It's easy to imagine what will happen to development, investment and confidence in BC. Mostly because it's visceral and already happening. As Geoff Moyse writes for PLUS in @nationalpost: “Land back” is being promoted through two interconnected UNDRIP principles in British Columbia: the alleged Indigenous ownership of all lands and resources throughout often enormous territories; and the supposed legal authority to decide what those lands and resources can be used for, and who is to retain the revenue that they generate. nationalpost.com/opinion/how…

For the remainder of September, Joffre Lakes Park remains closed to anyone not a member of the Líl̓wat Nation and N’Quatqua. PLUS would like to hear from anyone personally affected by the closure, including anyone who is turned away from the park. Please reach out through our website: publiclanduse.ca See the park closure and details here: bcparks.ca/joffre-lakes-park… #bcpoli

The federal government provided $230,000 for The Great Land Grab, a travelling exhibit that portrays Vancouver Island’s historic E&N Railway land grant as an ongoing conflict between Indigenous land rights and private property. As PLUS' @WarrenMirko writes in @TheHubCanada: “The exhibit says the government is responsible for ‘the big giveaway’ while relying on federal funding to deliver the message, proof that in Canada we sometimes pay for the rope used to hang ourselves." By funding and promoting this narrative, the federal government is helping legitimize a challenge to the underlying private property system itself.

Three fatalities at an encampment has led the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary to say to the Government of BC: “This encampment is on Crown land. The province is the landowner. So we’re now asking the province to bring this encampment to a close.” But the district received a response from Transportation Minister @mikefarnworthbc seemingly bucking responsibility. The district says it now isn’t sure whether Farnworth knows the Crown owns the land, or disputes it all together. Either way, it seems nothing is changing, yet public closures in the area remain. This is just one example of many PLUS heara about from British Columbians concerned about access to Crown land, and whether the province is truly in control or not. mykootenaynow.com/76242/news…

Nearly all land-use planning now underway by the Government of BC includes recognition of Indigenous rights and interests in the management of public lands and natural resources. See where British Columbians stand on the issue, and the gap between the Province’s priorities and public opinion: publiclanduse.ca/news/new-po… #bcpoli

Who should make decisions about BC’s public lands and natural resources? Elected governments accountable to all citizens, or shared decision-making with Indigenous governments? Abacus Data surveyed 1,002 BC adults online with data weighted to reflect BC’s population. See the full results and how they're spread by age, gender, and more: publiclanduse.ca/news/new-po…

Do British Columbians favour equal legal rights for all, or distinct legal rights for some groups? More than three-quarters (77%) believe all Canadians should have the same individual legal rights regardless of ancestry or background, compared with 23% who believe Indigenous groups should have distinct legal rights. View the full survey results here: publiclanduse.ca/news/new-po…

New polling from PLUS and @abacusdataca finds 86% of British Columbians say major changes to governing authority should require public approval. @GlobalBC featured some of the findings last night. More results to come this week. globalnews.ca/video/12041300… #bcpoli

Unbelievable. A must-read from @CBCNews. BC Parks failed to design, monitor, and enforce a reservation system for Joffre Lakes, and now has "bots being employed" to hoard and resell free passes, essentially operating an illegal commercial operation. The government cannot allow the system to fail while openly considering a transfer of jurisdiction as the solution, or Indigenous Guardians as a compliance and enforcement substitute for the government. cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c…

Is BC heading toward a constitutional crisis over DRIPA? @nbennett_ca digs into the question for @Resource_Works, saying private lands and provincial parks weren't to be included in treaty settlements, but "Now, under the David Eby government and DRIPA, both are on the table." Robin Junger of @McMillanLLP asks: “Is the government acting in the best interests of the Crown and the population, or is it doing things to undermine the legal and territorial integrity of British Columbia?” Geoffrey Moyse, KC, argues we need tripartite treaty negotiations to bring certainty and clarity, while @WarrenMirko highlights the broader constitutional issue: “Unless they’ve proven Aboriginal title, there’s nothing in the constitution that provides for the exclusive use of public land,” says Warren Mirko, executive director for the Public Land Use Society. “Can you deny access to public land based on somebody’s otherwise protected characteristic under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms—like their race, gender, ancestry, etcetera?” Mirko asks. “And the answer, on its face, is no.” @bcpoli resourceworks.com/when-dripa…