Thoughts on BC Politics and More

It’s been almost a year since the BC NDP government moved to snuff out a growing political brush fire sparked by the latest and largest step in its bid to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People across the province. Changes to the province’s little-known Land Act were abruptly withdrawn by the government in February 2024 after a series of opposition town hall meetings brought out big crowds demanding answers on the implications. Premier David Eby’s promise of more consultation before moving ahead with what it termed shared decision-making on Crown land meant that if it was successful in the election, the NDP would move ahead. The brush fire didn’t go out. It kept growing, first consuming the long-standing opposition party that had rebranded from BC Liberals to BC United, then pushing the upstart BC Conservatives to an almost complete sweep of the province’s vast Interior and a near-majority in the October vote ... CLICK HERE for the full story

. . . . The poll allowed British Columbians to give weight to key priorities. More than half say that the respect for reconciliation and the leadership shown by the government in including indigenous partners in decisions are both important to them. That said, concerns about further complicating resource development (which already necessitates the consideration of indigenous peoples' interests in relevant regions) and economic risks, are equally weighted by the population. ARI also found there is a sense the consultation timeline has been rushed. One-quarter (26%) say the current timeline offered by the government is acceptable. But more disagree, including half (48%) who want to see more consultation, extending deliberations into the fall or later this year, and one-quarter (27%) who want to kill the proposed changes entirely . . . . CLICK HERE for the full story

Opinion: The BC Conservative leader now wants to kill the BC law, citing 'botched' NDP consultations on a new land management system . . . This week Rustad, now the leader of the BC Conservatives, abandoned UNDRIP. He did so in the context of the NDP government’s botched consultations on legislation to establish joint management of Crown lands with Indigenous nations. “Conservatives do not support the Eby NDP’s sweeping changes to BC’s Land Act,” said Rustad. “It is an assault on your private property rights and our shared rights to use Crown land" . . . CLICK HERE for the full story