Thomas Isaac, Chair of the Cassels Aboriginal Law Group, was quoted in a recent Canadian Affairs article examining the intersection of Aboriginal title, private property rights, and British Columbia’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).
Thomas offered his perspective on the challenges of aligning provincial laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the implications of the Cowichan decision for private property owners. He also emphasized the importance of a lasting reconciliation policy supported by economic development.
“We need a bigger economy to reconcile properly,” Thomas told the publication. “I think we can, but we can’t do it on this economy. That means you need to develop more.”