British Columbia, once a beacon of opportunity — a diamond in Canada's crown — has becoming a cautionary tale of unchecked wokeism and economic catastrophe.
Recent developments in Indigenous land title claims — affecting areas in Richmond, the city of Kamloops, and the Sun Peaks ski resort — highlight ongoing disasters under the NDP government led by Premier David Eby. If not managed, these claims will create uncertainty for land tenure, deter investment, and contribute to residents moving to provinces like Alberta.
The issue gained attention following an August 2025 B.C. Supreme Court ruling in the Cowichan Tribes case, which declared Aboriginal title over roughly 732 acres in southeast Richmond, including some private properties. However, the Cowichan Tribes did not seek to invalidate private fee simple titles; the declaration primarily affected Crown and City of Richmond lands (with exceptions for federal properties), suspended for 18 months to allow negotiations, and left private ownership impacts uncertain pending appeals.
This is part of broader patterns. A 2015 claim by a First Nation in the Interior of B.C. seeks Aboriginal title over parts of B.C., including Kamloops and Sun Peaks Resort, based on ancestral rights and environmental concerns. The claim has been public and ongoing since filing, with renewed public scrutiny in November 2025 after MLA Elenore Sturko raised concerns over government transparency on such cases.
The claim previously contributed to blocking projects like the Ajax copper-gold mine. Sun Peaks has been a flashpoint, with protests over resort expansion on unceded Secwépemc lands dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s.
Global demand for B.C. natural resources is strong, but only the NDP could screw up so badly, squandering a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Mining and oil and gas investment will taper off unless there's change.
The human cost is evident: B.C. saw significant interprovincial net losses in recent years, including around 15,000-20,000 annually to Alberta in peak periods (2023-2024), driven by affordability, jobs, and housing costs.
Reconciliation is important. Indigenous people have endured profound losses over generations—but it must balance with security for all British Columbians and the province’s economy.
Negotiated treaties and benefit-sharing agreements have succeeded elsewhere without broadly disrupting private property.
The NDP’s handling of title claims has drawn criticism for lack of transparency.
