. The briefing is dated Sept. 10, less than two weeks before Premier David Eby called a snap election. Anyone who wanted to see the material was forced by government to sign a non-disclosure agreement to remain quiet during the election period.
“One mechanism used to advance reconciliation is through the return of Crown lands to First Nations under treaties and other negotiated agreements,” reads the document, titled “Forest Compensation Framework.”
“Presently, there are approximately 400 parcels committed for transfer through Treaty and reconciliation agreements.”
Confidential briefing documents obtained by Northern Beat reveal the BC NDP has committed to transfer 400 parcels of provincial Crown land to First Nations. An intended outcome listed in the backgrounder document is to “support timely and predictable First Nations land returns by addressing financial considerations that may otherwise create delays.” It does not identify the parcels of land or disclose their combined size. It does, however, describe the “ongoing fiscal constraints” of the government’s $13-billion budget deficit as “substantial barriers to completing land returns” with First Nations.
The proposed solution is to change the compensation rules to make it cheaper for government to remove the logging rights from forest companies on land earmarked for First Nations by, in some cases, not compensating the companies at all.
The documents show the Eby cabinet approved the policy in July.
Voters have not been told of the decision in the election campaign, nor was it included in Wednesday’s BC NDP forestry platform.
Last election, the Eby government hid $100M reconciliation deal from voters Until now, the government has not revealed the total number of Crown land parcels it has privately agreed to give to First Nations communities.
The NDP government has been heavily criticized in recent years for keeping the public in the dark over land transfer agreements, limiting public access to provincial parks in the name of Indigenous reconciliation and making secretive reconciliation agreements that impact local governments and businesses that are not revealed until so late in the process that the deal is already done.
Cabinet has not approved legislation but instead authorized the engagement on options for potential legislation, according to the BC NDP. The engagement is to consider an adjustment to how compensation works in the limited number of cases where transfers impact land on which there are tenure licenses.
Only about half of the parcels have any potential forestry impacts, the BC NDP added.
The plan was put on hold when the election was called.
Forestry companies were briefed under non-disclosure agreements.
The policy was not included in the NDP’s election platform.
Conservative candidate Scott McInnis says the lack of transparency is disturbing.
“This is nothing new for this government to make these very important decisions around Crown land and First Nations and not tell anybody about it,” he said.
“So I am shocked that… David Eby and the NDP have not learned their lesson that the public has zero appetite for reconciliation which is done behind closed doors.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Eby says the proposed legislation was about reducing costs for taxpayers."
I saw some idiot on Facebook saying that Eby is the bad guy for calling the bogus election, but Josie Osborne shouldn't be punished for that, it's not her fault, she isn't responsible. She sits on cabinet, has for years. She's privy to everything this NDP government does. The idea that this government is involved in hiding things from the public regarding public lands and first nations, and Josie Osborne isn't in the thick of it.... who would believe that?
OCT 17th!! It's not too late! You can still get out and vote for Eric Galarneau for Tofino Mayor! A vote for Eric is a vote against the current status-quo in the district office.
. The briefing is dated Sept. 10, less than two weeks before Premier David Eby called a snap election. Anyone who wanted to see the material was forced by government to sign a non-disclosure agreement to remain quiet during the election period.
ReplyDelete“One mechanism used to advance reconciliation is through the return of Crown lands to First Nations under treaties and other negotiated agreements,” reads the document, titled “Forest Compensation Framework.”
“Presently, there are approximately 400 parcels committed for transfer through Treaty and reconciliation agreements.”
Confidential briefing documents obtained by Northern Beat reveal the BC NDP has committed to transfer 400 parcels of provincial Crown land to First Nations.
An intended outcome listed in the backgrounder document is to “support timely and predictable First Nations land returns by addressing financial considerations that may otherwise create delays.” It does not identify the parcels of land or disclose their combined size. It does, however, describe the “ongoing fiscal constraints” of the government’s $13-billion budget deficit as “substantial barriers to completing land returns” with First Nations.
The proposed solution is to change the compensation rules to make it cheaper for government to remove the logging rights from forest companies on land earmarked for First Nations by, in some cases, not compensating the companies at all.
The documents show the Eby cabinet approved the policy in July.
Voters have not been told of the decision in the election campaign, nor was it included in Wednesday’s BC NDP forestry platform.
Last election, the Eby government hid $100M reconciliation deal from voters
Until now, the government has not revealed the total number of Crown land parcels it has privately agreed to give to First Nations communities.
The NDP government has been heavily criticized in recent years for keeping the public in the dark over land transfer agreements, limiting public access to provincial parks in the name of Indigenous reconciliation and making secretive reconciliation agreements that impact local governments and businesses that are not revealed until so late in the process that the deal is already done.
Cabinet has not approved legislation but instead authorized the engagement on options for potential legislation, according to the BC NDP. The engagement is to consider an adjustment to how compensation works in the limited number of cases where transfers impact land on which there are tenure licenses.
ReplyDeleteOnly about half of the parcels have any potential forestry impacts, the BC NDP added.
The plan was put on hold when the election was called.
Forestry companies were briefed under non-disclosure agreements.
The policy was not included in the NDP’s election platform.
Conservative candidate Scott McInnis says the lack of transparency is disturbing.
“This is nothing new for this government to make these very important decisions around Crown land and First Nations and not tell anybody about it,” he said.
“So I am shocked that… David Eby and the NDP have not learned their lesson that the public has zero appetite for reconciliation which is done behind closed doors.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Eby says the proposed legislation was about reducing costs for taxpayers."
I saw some idiot on Facebook saying that Eby is the bad guy for calling the bogus election, but Josie Osborne shouldn't be punished for that, it's not her fault, she isn't responsible.
ReplyDeleteShe sits on cabinet, has for years. She's privy to everything this NDP government does.
The idea that this government is involved in hiding things from the public regarding public lands and first nations, and Josie Osborne isn't in the thick of it.... who would believe that?
OCT 17th!! It's not too late! You can still get out and vote for Eric Galarneau for Tofino Mayor! A vote for Eric is a vote against the current status-quo in the district office.
ReplyDeleteEric is so unprepared to be mayor, he should have run for council.
Delete