Conservatives Demand Transparency
Ottawa, ON — Jamie Schmale, Conservative Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations, released the following statement calling on the government to immediately release the full text of their recent agreements with the Musqueam Indian Band:
“Last month, the government signed what they called ‘historic’ agreements with Musqueam, recognizing – among other things – their ‘Aboriginal rights including title within their traditional territory’.
“It sounds positive, but the public has reason to be concerned. After last year’s BC Supreme Court decision in Cowichan Tribes v Canada, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on the Attorney General to fight to overturn the ruling, which ‘threatens the property rights of Canadians’.
“To date, the government has failed to defend these cherished liberties in court. Now, Canadians are left guessing how property rights, land use, fisheries and local governance – issues that affect millions of British Columbians – will be impacted by these still-secret agreements.
“That is why today, Conservatives are calling for the immediate release of the full text of the agreements signed with the Musqueam Indian Band, so that Canadians can know what commitments their government has made behind closed doors.
“His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition believes that reconciliation can only proceed through transparency and public trust, not through secret agreements. When property rights are on the table, full transparency is the minimum standard.”