B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad speaks to reporters following the throne speech at the legislature in Victoria, Feb. 18, 2025. The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad is calling on the provincial government to suspend negotiations with First Nations until Canada’s highest court can offer “clarity” on the rights of property owners impacted by the landmark Cowichan Tribes case.
Rustad urged B.C. Premier David Eby in an open letter published Oct. 19 to send the case to the Supreme Court of Canada to seek clarification on the private property rights issues that have emerged after the B.C. Supreme Court awarded Aboriginal land title to the Cowichan Tribes on Aug. 7 for roughly 1,846 acres of land in Richmond, B.C.
