There’s more to the story on public access and Indigenous Rights in B.C.
First Nations in British Columbia are gaining ground on asserting their land rights. Anxieties about public access are real, but what’s below the surface?
Are anxieties about increased recognition of Indigenous Rights really about public access? Reporting by The Narwhal suggests some of the loudest voices might have other priorities in mind.
Here in British Columbia, there have been a lot of heated discussions lately about the impacts of Indigenous Rights on access to land. See, for example, the hoopla over the province’s top court recognizing Cowichan Nation title to parts of Richmond, B.C., and disagreements over the recent temporary closures of Joffre Lakes Park. Much of the debate boils down to one big question: if Indigenous people are gaining ground when it comes to asserting their rights and title, does that mean non-Indigenous people are losing out?
That’s an anxiety freelance journalist Cameron Fenton unpacked in an analysis for The Narwhal this week. He spoke with Kim Reeves, director of the Four Wheel Drive Association of BC, who worries about losing access and says recreation groups should receive more support to engage with local First Nations. Others, like Thomas Schoen of First Journey Trails, see collaboration between recreation groups and First Nations as an opportunity, not a threat.
One thing is clear: outdoor recreationalists share a deep love for the natural world. “It’s grounding, it’s revitalizing, it’s refreshing to the spirit,” Reeves said. That’s why the stakes feel so high — and why this issue has become so politicized. But it’s not the only reason. Cameron dug into the commentators and organizations fanning the flames of public anxiety over Indigenous Rights and outdoor access, and discovered they may have other priorities in mind.
The Public Land Use Society claims to be fighting for public access to Crown land, and has taken up the cause in opinion pieces and advocacy. But its board members have deep ties to mining, oil and gas and other extractive industries — which have incentives to oppose consultation and consent processes with First Nations. One director of the society claimed in a National Post column that Indigenous consultation on mining claims “could spell the end of [B.C.’s] mining sector.” (His column doesn’t mention recreation or parks.)
As Torrance Coste, associate director of the Wilderness Committee, told Cameron: “There is a genuine public interest around land access. But it’s being torqued and taken advantage of by industries like mining and logging.” In other words, when someone tells you that Indigenous Rights are a threat to your values, it’s worth checking their LinkedIn to see whose interests they represent.
One thing is clear, particularly as speculation and fear about Indigenous Rights run rampant: the government could be doing more to inform the public and assuage concerns. “We can’t move forward unless we bring the public along with us, and I think we’ve got to do more work on that,” Spencer Chandra Herbert, B.C.’s minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, said.
In the meantime, it’s worth remembering that people who love the outdoors are on the same side. As Louise Pederson, executive director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC, told Cameron, “Recreation people care very deeply about land, water and access; they want to make sure that all those things remain healthy for the future. Indigenous nations share those same values.”
Take care and think critically,
Michelle Cyca
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This Sunday, Nov. 2, is the last day to apply for The Narwhal’s new one-year fellowship for an Indigenous journalist in B.C., in collaboration with the Indigenous Journalists Association and IndigiNews.
The fellowship will support an early- or mid-career journalist to carve out a sustainable pathway in the news industry, where Indigenous voices are too often underrepresented or pushed out. Please help spread the word!
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Are anxieties about increased recognition of Indigenous Rights really about public access? Reporting by The Narwhal suggests some of the loudest voices might have other priorities in mind.
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