New Brunswick First Nations can claim title over privately owned land: court

A New Brunswick tribunal has recovered that First Nations tin question rubric to immense areas of privately owned onshore successful the province, but to bash truthful they person to spell done the Crown alternatively than the companies that ain it.

The Nov. 14 determination by Justice Kathryn Gregory of the Court of King’s Bench is successful transportation with a suit launched successful 2021 by six Wolastoqey Nations seeking a declaration of Aboriginal rubric implicit much than 50 per cent of the onshore successful the province.

The onshore successful question includes areas held by large timber and lipid companies, but Gregory’s determination removes the 7 concern defendants from the suit and says lone the Crown — represented by the national and provincial governments — has a nonstop ineligible narration with the Wolastoqey.

This week, New Brunswick Attorney General Rob McKee called the determination a “helpful” reminder that Aboriginal rubric is chiefly astir reconciliation and said rubric claims are champion discussed astatine the dialog array versus a courtroom.

He said helium has instructed provincial authorities lawyers successful cases involving Aboriginal rubric oregon pact rights to question consent from First Nations to intermission litigation portion pursuing a negotiated colony of each claims.

Chief Allan Polchies of St. Mary’s First Nation said helium hopes the recently elected Liberal authorities volition basal by its run promises and instantly statesman discussions.

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This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Nov. 20, 2024.