'It would be wrong': Why Richmond, B.C., residents weren't told about First Nation's claim to title

From the outset of its landmark claim for Aboriginal title, the Quw’utsun (Cowichan) Nation claimed its beef was not with private property owners.

In May 2017, lawyers for the Quw'utsun, the federal Crown, B.C and Richmond spent two days in a Victoria courtroom debating the merits of notifying more than 100 Richmond landowners about the legal battle that would see a judge grant Aboriginal title over their land eight years later.

Analysis 'Cloud' of tension between Aboriginal title and private property ownership lands in B.C.

The federal Crown argued private property owners needed to be there — as a matter of fairness.

But the lawyer for the Quw’utsun "vigorously" opposed the notion of an order giving formal notice — which he said was "unnecessary, inappropriate and unwarranted."

"It