The Canadian Press - posted CBC
The B.C. government is closely watching the courts for an expected ruling on a controversial aboriginal land-claims case that could end up sparking more court action.
Aboriginal Relations Minister Mike de Jong said Monday the B.C. Supreme Court ruling expected within days on the 17-year-old case is bound to stir a debate among aboriginals and governments.
"We'll study it because it will be an important decision," said de Jong, adding it's too early to say if the government will appeal the decision if it goes in favour of the aboriginals.
"It's an important decision so we're going to take time to review it. I'm not going to speculate about reaction. We haven't got the decision yet."
The case is known as the William case, after Chief Roger William of the tiny Xeni Gwet'in First Nation near Williams Lake in the B.C. Caribou region.
The First Nation launched the court action in 1990 after a dispute over logging with the B.C. government. It claims ownership of the Nemiah Valley, almost 440,000 hectares of wilderness near Williams Lake.
The land is only accessible by gravel road.
The court case is estimated to have cost tens of millions of dollars, and at one point the court ordered the federal and provincial governments to pick up the entire tab, including legal costs for the Xeni Gwet'in.
De Jong acknowledged a government appeal would raise concerns in the aboriginal community because in the past the government has leaned towards treaty negotiations to resolve claims as opposed to court actions. Some suggest an appeal could push aboriginals away from the treaty process and into the courts.
"We will respond responsibly, carefully after having considered all of what I suspect will be a lengthy ruling," de Jong said.
The pending court ruling comes as B.C. prepares to complete land-claims treaties with aboriginals at Tsawwassen near Vancouver and on Vancouver Island.
The Tsawwassen Treaty is expected to be ratified in the legislature shortly and the Maa-nulth Nation on western Vancouver Island recently voted to accept its proposed treaty, which still must be approved by the legislature.