SCOTT McINNIS: Adam is right, this is hard work, but non-indigenous British Columbians also need to have their voices heard

Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis

I have a lot of respect for Adam Olsen. We don’t always agree on politics, but I respect the man.

I have to say there are several key points within his op-ed (The Tyee – Jan 5, 2026), however, that are attempting to further downplay what is a serious situation in BC.

No, David Eby didn’t give a chunk of Richmond to the Cowichan; the courts did based on the constitution and evidence.

But the notion that he’s actually serious about defending private property interests is laughable.

No, David Eby didn’t give a chunk of Richmond to the Cowichan; the courts did based on the constitution and evidence.  But the notion that he’s actually serious about defending private property interests is laughable. That's because there seems to be NO urgency shown by our provincial government:

➡️No legislation came forward.

➡️No call to Ottawa to work with S.43 of the constitution.

➡️No expedited call for an urgent appeal.

➡️No stay application.

 

Just $150 million of our tax dollars (money which he certainly doesn’t have) as a political stunt to ‘backstop’ the over $2 billion worth of property. It’s a joke.

Adam talks about how the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) doesn’t bring in additional title rights. Technically, as DRIPA isn’t constitutional, I suppose he’s correct. But Article 26 specifically says that First Nations have a right to own-develop-control land/territory, resources they traditionally owned or occupied.

This has bred agreements, like we saw on Haida Gwaii, where they were granted 100% of their “traditional territory” as title land. This is an outcome that would have certainly not occurred had the Haida been required to prove their traditional occupation in court.

Adam can’t tell me, with a straight face, that other First Nations aren’t upset with that outcome as they won’t be getting their entire territory back-unless they strike a sweet deal with the government.

Business isn’t afraid to invest in BC because of the official opposition Conservative Party of BC Caucus messaging. They’re afraid because DRIPA has created an environment of co-governance between the province and 204 First Nations; an admirable goal on paper, but logistically impossible.

Business can’t invest when they don’t know who’s actually in charge of decision making.

Adam gives Eby a free pass, surprisingly, on his decision-making innocence around DRIPA. Personally, I’d love to hear Adam’s perspective on why, while we were under a provincial state of emergency due to severe atmospheric rivers and flooding events, the NDP and Eby, brought in Section 8.1 of the Interpretation Act.

There was no debate, instead there was forced closure, and DRIPA is now set in stone ... this wasn’t an accident.

Adam is right -- this is hard work -- but non-indigenous British Columbians also need to have their voices heard on reconciliation. 

• Private property must be protected
• Reconciliation must have an end goal
• First Nations governments must be accountable for the tens of billions of taxpayer dollars they receive.
• The provincial government must have sole decision-making authority over issues within the public interest.

The public must be included in these conversations, and the work by the provincial and indigenous governments must be public and transparent.

Scott McInnis is the Conservative Party of BC MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, and the Critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation