The British Columbia government is under scrutiny for its handling of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, following a recent court ruling that has raised significant concerns among residents. On September 5, the B.C. Supreme Court granted Aboriginal title over all of Haida Gwaii, which includes both private property and Crown land. This ruling was supported by both the provincial and federal governments.

The Haida Nation celebrated the court's decision, but the lack of official statements from Victoria and Ottawa has left many British Columbians feeling excluded from the process. Critics argue that the public interest has been overlooked as large areas of land are being transferred without adequate consultation.

The court's ruling is based on agreements made between the B.C. government and the Haida Nation, which were approved in a referendum limited to Haida members. This has raised questions about the representation of non-Haida residents, who make up a significant portion of the population in the region. Concerns have been voiced regarding the implications of recognizing Aboriginal title over private property, particularly in terms of democracy and future government actions.

Legal experts have noted that the rights associated with Aboriginal title and private property are fundamentally incompatible. Thomas Isaac and Mackenzie Hayden stated, "The rights in land which flow from both a fee simple interest and Aboriginal title interest … include exclusive rights to use, occupy and manage lands. The two interests are fundamentally irreconcilable over the same piece of land."

The situation is further complicated by a recent B.C. Supreme Court decision regarding Aboriginal title in Richmond, where the judge indicated that certain private property titles might be "defective and invalid." Constitutional law professor Dwight Newman warned that if past land grants are deemed invalid, it could mean that privately owned lands in B.C. could be overridden by Aboriginal title claims.

Despite the significant implications of the court's ruling, the provincial and federal governments have not publicly addressed the matter. Indigenous Relations Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert faced backlash after he attempted to downplay the situation on social media, claiming that the legislation adopting the Haida agreement was "unanimously supported." However, official records show that 25 MLAs opposed the legislation, contradicting his statement.

In a separate incident, Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar was criticized for misleading the public regarding non-disclosure agreements related to proposed amendments to the Heritage Conservation Act. Reports indicated that local government officials were required to sign NDAs to access information about the changes, despite Parmar's denials.

These incidents have contributed to a growing skepticism about the B.C. government's reconciliation efforts, as many residents feel increasingly alienated from the decision-making process.