New Brunswick premier says First Nations title claim is serious and far-reaching
A title claim for 60 per cent of New Brunswick's territory that was filed by six Wolastoqey chiefs is very serious and has far-reaching implications, Premier Blaine Higgs said Wednesday.
In a revised land claim filed on Tuesday, the chiefs targeted corporations such as NB Power and forestry giant J.D. Irving, which exploit resources on their traditional lands. The chiefs want the land returned, they want compensation for the use of that land for the last 200 years, and they want title to the entire area.
"The land specified in this claim is not owned by politicians or even by the government in every case," Higgs told reporters in Fredericton. "It is land that belongs to New Brunswickers that people paid for and continue to pay for through their annual taxes."
Higgs said the claim could have a serious impact on the forestry industry and on the provincial economy.
The defendants listed in the claim include J.D. Irving Ltd. and 18 of its subsidiaries or related entities, NB Power, Acadian Timber, Twin Rivers Paper, H.J. Crabbe & Sons and A.V. Group. The companies are named in addition to the governments of New Brunswick and Canada.
"Never before has a claim of this nature attempted to take control of land that is privately owned," Higgs said. "It lacks the clarity that New Brunswickers deserve."
Higgs said if the province had to put a value on all the land identified in the document, it would be in the trillions of dollars. He said while some chiefs have assured they won't displace New Brunswickers from their homes and farms, he said he doesn't see that clearly defined in the court document.
"This claim creates tremendous uncertainty," Higgs said. "It requires our government's full attention."
Natural Resources Minister Mike Holland said the claim could have a major impact on the province's forestry industry. "Forestry is the backbone of this province's economy in many ways, especially in rural New Brunswick," he told reporters.
"The strength of this sector keeps food on the table for one in 14 New Brunswickers," he added. "In total, over 22,000 New Brunswickers are directly or indirectly employed by forestry."
Madawaska Maliseet First Nation Chief Patricia Bernard said the chiefs have no intention to bankrupt the province or leave anyone destitute. "We want to work with the province. We want to work with these industries," she told reporters during a virtual news conference late Wednesday.
"We were backed in a corner. We had no choice," she said. "If it was not this particular government, I don't think we'd be here right now. I think we'd be sitting down negotiating, dealing with our issues, dealing with jurisdiction, dealing with revenues on a partnership basis."
Higgs said he has asked for a meeting with the Wolastoqey chiefs, adding that he hopes they can meet before the end of the year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.