Indigenous Affairs

At question period, members focused on a court ruling concerning Cowichan Tribes’ land claim in British Columbia and its implications for private property ownership. Conservative members asked why the government was appealing the ruling, pressed for protection of private property rights, and called on the Prime Minister to revoke a litigation directive they said prevented government lawyers from arguing fee simple property rights in the case; one member also raised a separate New Brunswick land-claim case before the Supreme Court. Minister Rebecca Alty responded that the Cowichan case is under active litigation so legal strategy could not be discussed, said the government would raise any valid arguments, pointed to two courts reaching different conclusions as a reason to seek clarity from the appeal, and noted Canada has supported landowners being heard in the case, including agreeing to reopen the trial so an affected property owner can participate. She also referred members to the publicly available Musqueam agreement and to the full text of litigation principle 14.Written by AI from the debate. Updated 2026-10-17.

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