MLA Greg Kyllo credits congregation of concerned Shuswap residents with contributing to what he calls a 91裸聊视频渉uge walk back91裸聊视频� by the B.C. government on proposed changes to the Land Act.
On Wednesday (Feb. 21), Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen announced the government would not proceed with the amendments, citing the need for more consultation.
91裸聊视频淥ver the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to discuss proposed amendments to the Land Act with over 650 representatives of stakeholder groups representing tens of thousands of British Columbians, from mining, forestry, oil and gas and clean energy, cattle ranchers, to adventure tourism operators, snowmobilers, hunters and anglers, and many others,91裸聊视频� said Cullen in a media release.
91裸聊视频淔rom the very beginning of this process, I promised that we would listen and take the time to get any changes right,91裸聊视频� continued the minister. 91裸聊视频淭hat our focus was to make it easier to work together with First Nations and provide more opportunities for better jobs and a stronger future.91裸聊视频�
Central to the issue are agreements under Section 6 and 7 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which establishes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the basis for reconciliation.
Agreements under those sections allow the province to enter 91裸聊视频渁greements with a broader range of Indigenous governments and to exercise statutory decision-making authority together.91裸聊视频� Cullen said the government was seeking to bring the Land Act in line, as it had already with five other pieces of legislation.
The government91裸聊视频檚 decision to hit pause on the amendments comes after widespread concern from legal scholars, political opposition, interest groups and private citizens about the consultation process, which had opened in early January and would have concluded on March 31.
Several voices accused government of secrecy 91裸聊视频� one of them being Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo, who referred to the minister91裸聊视频檚 announcement as an 91裸聊视频渁bsolute admission91裸聊视频� of the government91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渇ailure to adequately consult with British Columbians.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e seen time and time again where the NDP do inadequate consultation91裸聊视频� and put forward enabling legislation at the tail end of a legislative session with limited and grossly inadequate amount of time to thoroughly canvas questions to properly debate pieces of the legislation brought forward,91裸聊视频� said Kyllo, noting notification of consultation was shared on 91裸聊视频� which he referred to as an 91裸聊视频渙bscure website very few people even pay attention to.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淭hey admitted the legislation was already being drafted before they opened up the doors for consultation91裸聊视频� ,91裸聊视频� added Kyllo
In his statement, Cullen commented on efforts made by some to 91裸聊视频渒nowingly mislead the public about what the proposed legislation would do, adding 91裸聊视频渢hey have sought to divide communities and spread hurt and distrust.91裸聊视频�
Members of the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) shared their frustration with the decision to 91裸聊视频減ostpone introduction of straightforward amendments to the Land Act that would remove barriers to commitments already made five years ago in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.91裸聊视频�
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91裸聊视频淲e are absolutely disgusted that the opposition leaders of B.C. United and the B.C. Conservatives leveraged the proposed Land Act amendments as a shameless opportunity for partisan political gain,91裸聊视频� said Union of BC Indian Chiefs president, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, in an FNLC media release.
In response to the proposed changes and a 91裸聊视频渟ignificant number of calls and inquiries91裸聊视频� received by his Salmon Arm constituency office, Kyllo and fellow BC United member Ellis Ross, MLA for the Skeena riding, hosted a public town hall meeting at Salmon Arm91裸聊视频檚 Prestige Harbourfront Resort on Friday, Feb. 16. Kyllo said the turnout of more than 325 people exceeded his expectations.
91裸聊视频淢any concerns were raised from individuals that were in attendance: how is this going to impact water lot tenures? How might it impact grazing tenures?91裸聊视频� said Kyllo. 91裸聊视频淏ut of course, we have no information because the government has not been forthcoming. The public meeting was not an opportunity for me to answer those questions because we91裸聊视频檙e as in the dark as the rest of British Columbia91裸聊视频� This was largely an opportunity for members of the community to express their concerns, to better inform both myself and Ellis.91裸聊视频�
Kyllo believes the Salmon Arm meeting 91裸聊视频� and the number of residents who attended 91裸聊视频� played a part in the province91裸聊视频檚 turnaround.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 really proud of hard working men and women in the Shuswap who were willing to take time to come out and share their concerns,91裸聊视频� said Kyllo, adding things would be different if it wasn91裸聊视频檛 an election year.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 only because of the great opposition around the province91裸聊视频� and the fact that it91裸聊视频檚 an election year they91裸聊视频檙e walking this back.91裸聊视频�
Cullen said the B.C. government heard 91裸聊视频渢hat it needs to take time to further engage with people and demonstrate the real benefits of shared decision-making in action,91裸聊视频� and said it would continue to 91裸聊视频渆ngage with people and businesses, and do the work to show how working together, First Nations and non-First Nations, can help bring stability and predictability, and move us all forward.91裸聊视频�
With files by Wolf Depner, Black Press Media
