Conservatives Oppose Carney’s First Treaty
Treaties must solve problems, not create them
Vancouver, BC – Today, the Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada, announced that he will oppose federal ratification of the K’ómoks Treaty as it currently stands, citing risks to Canadians’ stability, sovereignty and property.
“Treaties should advance reconciliation by providing long-term certainty and finality,” Poilievre said. “Unfortunately, the K’ómoks agreement negotiated by the Liberal government does nothing of the sort”.
The agreement incorporates, as “an authoritative source” for its own interpretation, the highly divisive United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which many Canadians view as threatening parliamentary sovereignty, resource development and the predictability of Canada’s legal framework.
By implementing the treaty, the federal Liberals would elevate UNDRIP from a policy commitment to a legally-binding guideline: one that could impact how the courts interpret the agreement in future.
“The BC government has already found itself in a high-profile court case over its own version of UNDRIP,” Poilievre added. “By appealing to it as an ‘authoritative source’, the Carney Liberals will only create more uncertainty and confusion.”
The document, already approved through negotiation by K’ómoks First Nation and passed by the British Columbia legislature, also refers to itself as a “living agreement” and allows parts of the treaty to be renegotiated every decade: an approach that could open the door to future issues while seeking to resolve present ones.
Further, in the wake of the controversial Cowichan Tribes v. Canada ruling and the Musqueam Rights Recognition Agreement, the treaty’s failure to clearly and explicitly protect private property – a longtime Conservative demand for federal agreements with Indigenous groups – is notable by its absence.
“The lack of specific protections for fee simple title raises real concerns in light of the Liberals’ record,” Poilievre continued. “We simply do not know how the treaty is going to be interpreted in 10, 15 or 20 years, especially given the appeal to UNDRIP and ‘living agreement’ approach.”
In order to implement the K’ómoks Treaty, the government will have to pass legislation through the House of Commons: a bill which the Official Opposition has pledged to vote against, barring changes to the agreement. Poilievre also called on British Columbians to contact their Members of Parliament and ask them to join with Conservatives in opposing federal ratification.
“Conservatives believe in treaties when they provide viable long-term solutions,” Poilievre concluded. “We will always support agreements that respect Indigenous concerns, private property and the supremacy of Canadian laws on Canadian soil.”