B.C. may transfer Crown land to Vancouver Island First Nations

New documents show that more than 300,000 acres of land could be transferred to Vancouver Island First Nations, which are currently finalizing treaties.

Approximately 30 parcels of Crown land would be given to five First Nations, which are located from Parksville to Victoria.

The list includes Hatley Castle, Royal Roads University, waterfront in Victoria, property next to the legislature, Discovery Island Provincial Park and Sooke Mountain Provincial Park.

“This is a betrayal of our core democracy here in British Columbia,” Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay said.

“British Columbians as a whole own this province; we should have a say.”

Lawyer Geoffrey Moyse spent decades advising the province on Aboriginal law.

“There was no requirement to renegotiate the Douglas Treaties, so I think this was a political decision,” he said.

The B.C. legislature’s website states, “The Douglas Treaties, along with Treaty 8, which was signed in 1899 between the federal government and Indigenous peoples and included the northeast area of the province, are the only historic treaties in British Columbia.”

“Now, they’re not renegotiating the Douglas Treaties, they’re adding on modern treaty accoutrements to those agreements, but my point is there’s no legal requirement to deal with Aboriginal title or any of that because it’s already been dealt with,” Moyse added.

Some concerns state that transferred lands would essentially become private property with no legal requirement to preserve public access or adhere to existing zoning.

“This is an ongoing theme from this provincial government of not having public consultation when it matters and it’s overriding democratic oversight in this province,” Steve Kooner with the Conservative Party said.

Global News requested an interview with B.C.’s Indigenous relations minister, but he did not make himself available.