The Prime Minister Must Protect Property Rights
Ottawa, ON – Last August’s BC Supreme Court decision in Cowichan Tribes v Canada has sent shockwaves throughout British Columbia and across the country. With potentially massive consequences for property owners, businesses and investment, Ottawa cannot continue to sit idly by.
That is why today, Conservatives have introduced a motion in the House of Commons demanding that the government put private property first and take meaningful steps to protect Canadians’ rights.
As early as September of 2025, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wrote to Justice Minister Sean Fraser demanding the Liberal government stand up for property rights and overturn the decision.
Following the similarly worrying Musqueam Rights Recognition Agreement, Conservatives demanded that the government return to arguing that private property has priority over all other forms of title.
This argument, also called “extinguishment,” was rejected by the Liberals through Litigation Guideline #14 of the Attorney General of Canada’s Directive on Civil Litigation Involving Indigenous Peoples, which discourages government lawyers from using all available arguments to defend private property.
Despite claiming to believe that property rights are “fundamental”, neither Prime Minister Mark Carney nor his Attorney General have taken any steps to change the government’s actual position in litigation.
When homes and property are at stake, Canadians deserve action from our elected officials. That’s why today’s Conservative motion calls on them to:
- Put private property first in the Cowichan case, with priority over all other title, while replacing Litigation Guideline #14 that prevents their lawyers from doing so;
- Enshrine explicit property protection in all future agreements with First Nations so that fee simple property rights are enshrined;
- Publish a plan within 30 days to protect the property rights for Canadians affected by the Cowichan decision and Musqueam agreement; and
- Appoint a special committee to study all legal, constitutional and political steps that can be taken to protect private property rights in Canada.
If the Liberal Prime Minister, and the government he leads, wants Canadians to trust that the results will match the rhetoric, then he should wholeheartedly support this motion.
Conservatives call on MPs from all parties to stand on the right side of history in defence of Canadians homes and businesses, and take steps that advance meaningful and lasting reconciliation.