The British Columbia government and chiefs from the Cowichan Nation say they’ve begun negotiations after a landmark court ruling awarded Aboriginal title over a swath of property in Richmond, B.C., last year. The talks come even as both parties pursue appeals in the legal action that recognizes Aboriginal title over about 300 hectares of land along the Fraser River in a decision that set off concerns about the impact on private land ownership. A joint statement from the province and the Cowichan says the nation “respectfully did not seek to invalidate” private ownership of the land, but went to court to compel the province to “negotiate in good faith the reconciliation” of private titles granted by government of its former village site. Premier David Eby told a separate news conference…
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