RIGHTS OF PROPERTY

we have rule of law in canada. this includes limits on the rights of property — all property. it is not a racial issue or an issue of injustice when the government expropriates land for the common good. it often involves rights of way, usually highway expansion or other infrastructure initiatives. the idea is to respect the right to be paid for value given/taken, and in the case of pipelines and hydro grid often the title of the land does not transfer to the government or private ownership and the government or company involved compensates for the agreed devaluation of the land by paying to attach a covenant while leaving title in the hands of the original owner. 

the first nations in BC have made claims to more than 100% of the land in the province. this does not reflect either the present reality of life in this province or even the history of land use here. 

there is a common good that most people can agree with. without that, governance would break down and rule of law would be threatened. large-scale projects will continue to be developed in this province for at least the near future and for a very small group of hereditary (read birthright) chiefs of first nations, nations who even in total represent only a very small cohort of the modern province in which we actually live, to block activity on narrow grounds and historical ambiguity is a flawed and ultimately doomed action. 

we all negotiate just about everything in our lives. absolutism, inflexibility and obstructionism are only successful in the long run when they protect something for which there is widespread agreement among the population as a whole. 

in the end, rule of law will be upheld in canada. for that, all of us on all sides of any issue should be grateful. the alternative, anarchy, which really just means the voluntary association of people, we are a (perhaps infinitely) long way from being ready for. we are selfish and not honest enough, kind enough or generous enough to make that a working reality.