British Columbia Minister of Indigenous Relations Murray Rankin says it was “really powerful” to be in the territory of the Tsilhqot’in First Nation to mark a Supreme Court of Canada case that changed the country’s history.
Rankin was joined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Indigenous leaders, along with members of the First Nation in B.C.’s Nemaiah Valley to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the ruling.
The Tsilhqot’in, representing six First Nation communities with a common culture and history, is the only Indigenous group to win recognition of its Aboriginal title to a specific area of land through Canada’s highest court. The Tsilhqot’in were granted the title to more than 1,700 square kilometres of land in central British Columbia.
Reflecting on the decision a decade later, Rankin says he believes reconciliation is rarely, if ever, achieved in a courtroom, so the best route to determine Aboriginal title is through negotiation.
Anandasangaree agreed, calling the Tsilhqot’in court decision a “milestone” that marked an “important step toward decolonization.”
In a statement, the B.C. Assembly of First Nations congratulated the Tsilhqot’in for the historic decision.
Terry Teegee, regional chief for the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, said the Tsilhqot’in decision and a recent agreement between the B.C. government and the Council of the Haida Nation officially recognizing Haida Gwaii’s Aboriginal title are monumental achievements that “will continue to resonate for generations.”
“Precedents have been set and we will continue to see many more nation-to-nation milestone agreements that will solidify First Nations self-governance, reconciliation efforts and the protection of First Nations rights and title over their traditional lands and resources,” Teegee said.
Trudeau and his youngest son, Hadrien, met with First Nations chiefs, spoke with elders and witnesses involved in the years-long court case.
The prime minister travelled to the valley, about 350 kilometres north of Vancouver, just days after his party lost a pivotal Toronto-area byelection in a riding that had been held by the Liberals for more than three decades.
The prime minister said during an unrelated news conference on Tuesday that the outcome showed his government had more work to do to deliver results Canadians can see, but he didn’t answer questions.
He didn’t take questions on Wednesday either.