The B.C. Supreme Court recently ruled that the Quw’utsun (Cowichan) Nation holds Aboriginal title to Tl’uqtinus — a once-thriving fishing village near Vancouver’s Fraser River — and has the right to fish nearby waters. The landmark decision came after a record-breaking 513-day trial and followed over a century of failed petitions, negotiations, and legal efforts by the Cowichan people. Despite their main territories being 60 km away across the Salish Sea, the court accepted historical and oral evidence showing seasonal use of Tl’uqtinus for salmon fishing. Justice Barbara Young ruled that the province’s 19th-century land grants to settlers were “defective,” violating Cowichan title and rights.
The ruling was celebrated as a legal and spiritual homecoming by Cowichan leaders but sparked opposition from neighboring First Nations — Musqueam and Tsawwassen — who claim overlapping rights. Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow expressed concern the court overlooked their oral history and cooperative traditions. The decision also triggered political backlash over fears it undermines private property, prompting a provincial appeal.
Experts say the case could reshape how courts recognize overlapping Indigenous claims and traditional use of non-contiguous lands. For now, Cowichan fishers have returned to Tl’uqtinus, celebrating a long-overdue recognition of their ancestral connection to the land and river.
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