Vaughn Palmer: David Eby's hidden agenda on display when he persuaded a court to lock in Haida Aboriginal title

David Eby makes an education announcement at the site of the new Burke Mountain Secondary School in Coquitlam on Friday. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

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VICTORIA — With election day approaching, it is worth recalling the extraordinary step that Premier David Eby took last year to preclude one possibility if he were to lose power to the B.C. Conservatives.

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On Sept. 5, 2025 the Eby government helped persuade B.C. Supreme Court Justice Christopher Giaschi to entrench recognition of Haida Aboriginal title in the Canadian constitution.

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The New Democrats had already recognized Aboriginal title over Haida Gwaii in an accord and legislation. Now they joined the Haida and the federal government in asking the court to affirm it under section 35 (1), the Aboriginal rights clause of the constitution.

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For as B.C. government lawyer Brent Olthuis told the court that day, “If the legislature makes a law, it can unmake a law.”

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The lawyer for the Haida was even more explicit in explaining “how it is that Canada and B.C. and the Haida Nation decided that we should come to court and sort this thing out.”

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“There are agreements in place, but agreements can be revoked,” said David Paterson. “There is provincial legislation in place, but legislation can be repealed.

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“I don’t suppose you’ve followed the public discussion on this,” Paterson added in an aside to the judge on the political aspect of the case.

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“There are people who would like to repeal this legislation. There are people who would like to see this arrangement not succeed. Fortunately, I think they’re a small number, but nonetheless it’s a consideration.”

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The then-Conservative leader John Rustad argued that private property rights could be undermined in the long run by blanket recognition of Aboriginal title over Haida Gwaii.

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The Haida maintained that they would respect private property. Yet the Nation and its government partners also wanted the court to eliminate any doubts about the title to Haida Gwaii.

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“The relief that we’re seeking is constitutional protection of the Aboriginal title of the Haida Nation,” said Paterson. “It is really the linchpin that provides that we won’t be here 20 years later arguing whether or not we have title and whether or not the province can revoke its legislation.”

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Drummers at a May 9, 2023, event at the legislature in Victoria celebrating the passage by the B.C. NDP of provincial legislation on the Haida Nation’s inherent right of governance of the archipelago. Photo by Don Craig /Government of B.C.

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Provincial and federal recognition of Haida title was itself “groundbreaking” and “unprecedented in this country’s history.

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“We need to — if I can put it ineloquently — tie a ribbon around this agreement to ensure that it does obtain constitutional protection. … But we can’t say for certain without a declaration from this court that we’ve actually achieved that end.”

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Before the day was over, Justice Giaschi tied the ribbon, declaring that “the Haida Nation has Aboriginal title, recognized and affirmed under section 35 (1) of the Constitution Act, to the terrestrial areas of Haida Gwaii.”

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The Haida issued a statement celebrating a “historic day” in the life of their Nation.