The Canadian Government Must Uphold Private Land Ownership

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, the Right Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, and Au Chak-kwong, Member of Parliament for the Richmond Centre—Marpole riding, sent a letter to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Sean Fraser, issuing the following statement regarding the ruling in the Cowichan Tribes case:

Dear Minister Fraser:

On August 7, the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued a ruling in the Cowichan Tribes v. Canada case, which explicitly invalidates freehold title and has created unbelievable uncertainty for title holders.

Even the B.C. NDP recognizes the seriousness of this situation. The provincial government, along with the City of Richmond, the Vancouver Port Authority, the Tsawwassen First Nation, and the Musqueam First Nation, have all filed appeals against the ruling to the Court of Appeal.

Your cabinet colleague, Gregor Robertson, downplayed the impact of this ruling, claiming, "the ruling does not affect private property rights." This directly contradicts the statement from Premier Eby, who noted: "Private property with clear title is key to mortgages, economic stability, and the real estate market."

The lead counsel for the Cowichan Tribes has already stated that future private land transactions must require the consent of the Cowichan Tribes before they can proceed. This ruling not only poses a severe threat to the B.C. economy but could also impact the entire Canadian economy.

The federal government must raise objections in court to challenge the Cowichan ruling. This ruling threatens the property rights of Canadians and has already led to the loss of jobs and investment.

Currently, the difficulties faced by businesses and property owners, as well as the deep concerns of investors about this uncertainty, have already led to a rapid flight of investment.

You must advocate for overturning this ruling to protect the rights of all Canadians.