“I want to make the Liberals look bad. I want you to say what you disagree with. People need to know what they can own.”
What they said. What they meant.
Plain-language translations from the House of Commons.
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Oral Questions
Indigenous Affairs
A debate about a court ruling on Indigenous land rights and private property ownership. The Conservatives accused the Liberal government of failing to protect private property rights in the Cowichan case. The Liberals refused to discuss their legal strategy, saying the case is under active litigation. The debate was mostly back-and-forth accusations without much substance.
“I want to make the Conservatives look bad. I won't say our legal plans. I want to talk about another agreement the Conservatives didn't read.”
“The government messed up and got sued. They're not even trying to win their appeal. People followed the law and now they're scared. The government won't answer our questions, just insults us and hides the truth. Property rights are going to disappear if judges decide. Does the government have a plan or are they giving up?”
“The court case is still going and I won't tell you our strategy. Rule 14 doesn't stop us from using any specific defense, we just need a good reason and evidence. We appealed the ruling and we'll use any defense we can.”
“The government told lawyers not to defend property rights. People who followed the law don't know if they own their homes. The Prime Minister should fix this today.”
“I want to say the other party doesn't understand. I can name sections and agreements to sound informed. The real issue is someone else's job.”
“I'm suggesting that the Liberals don't care about private property rights. The Supreme Court might hear a big New Brunswick case. Some people openly want aboriginal title to apply to private land. The government might even have to take land from private owners. The Liberals already let it happen once in BC. Will the Prime Minister reverse course or keep ignoring property rights?”
“I want the courts to make a clear ruling on this issue. The New Brunswick court and the Cowichan court reached opposite conclusions. That's why we need clarity from the courts. Many parties have appealed the Cowichan case. It's an ongoing legal matter.”
“You're putting private property rights at risk. In 2019, you stopped arguing for fee simple property rights in the Cowichan case. The government must stand up for private property in court. Will you protect private property rights in all future cases with First Nations, yes or no?”
“You're leaving out the rest of the principle. Back in 2017, we did argue private landowners should be notified. The court ruled against that. Since the ruling last summer, we consented to Montrose's application. Now we're waiting for the judge's ruling. If Montrose is added as a party, that would let a private property owner be heard at the trial.”