National Post
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Special to National Post
analysis
Geoffrey Moyse writes that the British Columbia NDP government, led by Premier David Eby, is pursuing a "land back" ideology as part of its Aboriginal reconciliation agenda. This approach has been criticized for being undemocratic, with some arguing it allows the government to do "anything it wants" without transparency or public input. The article highlights several specific examples, including the creation of Aboriginal title over the entire Haida Gwaii archipelago and plans to transfer public lands in Victoria to Aboriginal communities. Critics such as real estate developer Rick Illich have accused the government of engaging in "closed door negotiations" that are "undemocratic" and "terribly irresponsible".
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The government of British Columbia, led by Premier David Eby, has been accused of acting undemocratically as it negotiates with Aboriginal communities over land ownership. The B.C. NDP has been pushing for "land back" ideology, which critics say is rooted in the idea of "decolonization". This approach has been met with criticism from non-Aboriginal residents, who have been labeled as "colonizers", "settlers", and "uninvited guests" by government officials. The NDP has also instructed against using the term "British Columbians", which is seen as a way to erase the identity of non-Aboriginal residents. Instead, the focus has been on transferring large amounts of land to Aboriginal communities, many of which have small populations. This process has been carried out with little transparency or public input, leading some to question whether the government is acting in the best interests of all British Columbia's residents. The changes to negotiation mandates have been reflected in the approach of the B.C. Treaty Commission, which has been working to return land to Aboriginal communities as quickly as possible.
Written for “BC Land Use Controversy” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
That basic undemocratic ethos is alive today in the present B.C. NDP government headed by Premier David Eby, most particularly on the Aboriginal “reconciliation” agenda.
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ethos → head → agenda
Controversy continues to swirl around what critics refer to as the governments “land back” ideology, which appears firmly rooted in the larger and more ominous ethos of “decolonization.”
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which → continue → decolonization
For some years now, British Columbia’s non-Aboriginal population have been taunted by two NDP administrations as “colonizers,” “settlers” and “uninvited guests” — language that has even been used in the B.C. legislature by government MLAs.
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that → taunt → MLAs
The government has also instructed against using the term “British Columbians,” as this term is considered offensive to those who do not accept the sovereignty of the Crown or the legitimacy of the Canadian province of British Columbia.
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who → instruct → Columbia
In its pursuit of “decolonization,” the NDP government has been working assiduously to “return” as much land as possible as quickly as possible to Aboriginal communities, many of which are tiny in terms of on-reserve residents.
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many → work → residents
Changes have been made by the NDP to negotiation mandates, and those changes are now reflected in the approach of the B.C. Treaty Commission — allowing for negotiation of Aboriginal title outside of the treaty process in “Foundation Agreements” and “other arrangements,” designed to circumvent the regular treaty process.
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changes → make → process
Aboriginal title is being negotiated by the B.C. and federal governments with shocking results.
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title → negotiate → results
For example, we have witnessed the creation of Aboriginal title over the entirety of the Haida Gwaii archipelago with no requirement for the Haida to prove the historical occupation necessary under Canadian constitutional law for the existence of such title.
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Haida → witness → title
Recently, real estate developer Rick Illich decried the province’s “closed door negotiations” on Aboriginal rights and title.
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Illich → decry → rights
The 2024 B.C. NDP election platform made no mention of actively negotiating Aboriginal title deals, referring simply to “carrying on with the implementation of DRIPA (the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act)” and “advancing reconciliation in tangible and measurable ways.”
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platform → make → ways
In other words, they appear to have given themselves a blank slate, leaving the government free to do “anything it wants” on the “reconciliation” file in pursuing its “land back” ideology.
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it → appear → ideology
Increasingly, British Columbians are treated to new and startling revelations about what public lands the government is transferring to Aboriginal communities.
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government → treat → communities
The latest in a long list of such revelations is the plan to transfer important public lands in and around Victoria to bands in the Te’mexw Treaty Association, all with a minimum of public information having been made available.
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minimum → transfer → information
Apparently, the public lands in question have been deemed “surplus” by B.C. and Canada.
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lands → deem → B.C.
Such “surplus” lands include significant parts of the federal lands that house the historic Hatley Castle and Royal Roads University and large areas of existing provincial parks in the Capital region.
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that → include → region
How can iconic historical sites and B.C.’s public provincial parks be considered “surplus,” with no public involvement whatsoever in government’s determination of that conclusion?
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sites → consider → conclusion
In 2002, the B.C. Liberal government held a referendum seeking public input on treaty mandates.
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government → hold → mandates
Question number four of that referendum saw 94.5 per cent of the respondents confirm that parks and protected areas should be maintained for the use and benefit of all British Columbians.
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parks → see → Columbians
Now, in 2026, that public mandate is being shredded by the present B.C. government.
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mandate → shred → government
Negotiations are underway throughout British Columbia in furtherance of the B.C. NDP government’s “land back” ideology, which appears to be a core feature of its “reconciliation” agenda.
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which → appear → agenda
While the public watches helplessly from the sidelines, hoping for further glimpses of what public lands their government is sacrificing on the altar of “reconciliation,” the Eby government continues to negotiate in secrecy — giving every indication that, like its 1990s counterpart, it is a government that also thinks, “we are the government and we can do anything we want.”
Surely, there must be a time coming when the population of British Columbia says enough, and demands that the government finally begins to act in the greater public interest?
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government → watch → interest
