Lisa, Rachel and Ruben answer questions about this constitutional challenge, which will proceed to the B.C. Supreme Court on April 3, 2023. They answer such questions as the following:
- Is this case really about whether the Crown must consult with Indigenous governments before selling the right to explore for and take minerals on their traditional territory? Or is it really about whether Canadian law recognizes that there can be negative impacts to Indigenous governance?
- Can BC’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act make appreciable changes in the law? Or (as recently asked by a SC judge) is it just vacuous political bromide – in other words, just a nice sounding statement?
- Mining companies and the government have said that mining brings in a significant amount of money to BC coffers and if consultation is required, the financial sky might fall out of the industry. Can mining be both respectful to Indigenous peoples and be profitable?
Turn up your volume and click below to hear their discussion!