6 - Sunday, May 27, 1990 - North Shore News

Industry can
benefit from
land claims

ONE FEATURE of the 1990s that will potentially lead to
greater harmony in Canadian society is the final settlement

of native land claims.

By MICHAEL WALKER
Guest Columnist

Under pressure from such able
aboriginal leaders as Georges
Erasmus, the national Chief of the
Assembly of First Nations,
Canada’s native people are deftly
positioning both public
demonstrations and arguments in
court so as to make some sort of
rapprochement inevitable. The
solution that Mr. Erasmus and
other abariginal leaders hope for is
an acknowledgement of their land
claims as well as the attainment of
a degree of self government and
independence.

What actually happens with
regard to these cases will depend
on the separate determination of
two issues. First of all, what were
the specific land rights or property
tights of the native peoples in the
first instance? That is, what, in the
context of the system of European
property rights which are ad-
judicable in Canadian courts, are
the actual property rights of the
native peoples? Secondly, to what
extent have these rights been sur-
rendered, or, as the courts call it,
‘extinguished’ by treaties or other
actions since Europeans came to
North America?

Observing the recent talks about
self government between the
Mohawk nation and the govern-
ment of Quebec, I conclude that it
seems likely that a greater measure
of self government will be made
available to aboriginal peoples and
in some instances, at least, they
will successfully press their case for
compensation and/or return of
lands taken from them.

It’s fair to say that every time
Georges Erasmus makes a public
statement, he gives some people a
pain in the stomach, or at least in
some part of their anatomy. Mr.
Erasmus wants what he terms fair
settlement of aboriginal land
claims as well as self government
for native peoples as independent
entities within Canadian society.

While one can well understand
the anxiety which the possibility of
Mr. Erasmus getting his wish in-
duces in those who, like forestry
companies and mining companies,
must conduct their business in the
areas subject to these sorts of
claims, the position for industry as
well as for the rest of Canadian
society might actually improve
under such self government. The
results depend on the way in which
aboriginal peoples decide to use
the freedom contained in any such
provision.

Let’s suppose, for example, that
the Gitksan and Wetsuwet’en In-
dians are successful in securing a
chunk of British Columbia land
and also in achieving self govern-
ment on that land. What will be
the economic consequences?

Well, assuming that any such
award would have to involve com-
pensation for land owners who, |
under the registry of private prop-
erty in B.C. have been given prop-
erty rights by the B.C. legal
system, then the only question
about the economic impact is how

NOEL WRIGHT ON VACATION

Dr. Michael Waiker is president
of the Fraser Institute, a Van-
couver-based free enterprise
research organization.

well the native peoples organize
themselves in their new territory
once they have it. From the point
of ssiew of economic development
they could, for example, adopt an
attitude of perestroika.

‘That is, they could reorganize
the economic structure within the
lands that they have been awarded
to create a kind of economic free
zone--a free market zone, to use
familiar language. If that is the
option they choose, then undoubt-
edly the land area involved would
be better utilized both in the inter-
ests of the native people and in the
interests of the forestry and mining
companies who must conduct their
business there.

The task fer those who are con-
cerned about the possibility that
Georges Erasmus may get his wish
is to persuade the native peoples
that such a structure would be in
their interests. The Transkei in
Africa is a native homeland
wherein the residents have chosen
a free economic zone approach to
economic development. They have,
in the process, developed oppor-
tunities there which otherwise sim-
ply would not have been available.

It is difficult to image a system
of regulation and taxation which
would be worse than the current
policies of provincial governments.
Ownership of lands by native peo-
ples also have the promise of im-
proving the decision-making with
regard to environmental use over
the current utilization of public
lands. A recent Fraser Institute
study has concluded that the main
problem for the environment is
public ownership, which has typi-
cally implied non-ownership of
much of our natural environment,
Government ownership has meant
failure to replant forests; it has
meant failure to sustain and main-
tain the amenity value of forests
when logged and in general placed
the natural environment at risk.

Studies by the Toronto based
Environment Probe have recently
concluded that, paradoxically for
many greens, private ownership of
forests best ensures their preserva-
tion as a renewable resource and/
or as an environmental amenity.

but poor economic vision.

sion.

“Phe good side of this is that the
district, after getting a good kick
in the butt, will bring in decent leg-
islation to limit the heights.

North Vancouver District Ald.
Ernie Crist, commenting on the
outcry over monster houses in the
municipality.

“It was a little freaky. I didn’t
know what to expect. I don’t even
know why I went out there. It just
seemed somebody had to go out
and get her.”’

North Vancouver triathlete
David McAdam, describing his
rescue of a woman in First Nar-
rows water.

envelope.

Cloverly residents have opposed the
$22-million project since it was first pro-
posed last year. They argue that pollu-
tion from the terminal is already bad and
will only get worse with an expanded
potash facility. But the company, which
has revamped its project once in an at-
tempt to satisfy resident concerns and
has staged open houses te allow the
public a first-hand Jook at its operation,
has already invested over $4 million in
environmental controls and has vowed to
invest more as part of its potash expan-

The Neptune project would also have

-QUOTES OF THE WE

Advertising Director .Linda Stewart

North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent
suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111,
Paragraph tt of the Excise Tax Act. 1s published each
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free
Press itd. and distributed to every doo! on the North
Shore. Second Class Mail Registration Number 3885
Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year.
Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are
weicome but we cannot accept responsibility for
unsolicited material including manuscripts and orctures .
which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed

i YOUR

Dead shed

TORTH VANCOUVER City
Council's decision Tuesday to re-
ject Neptune Bulk Terminal’s se-

cond bid to expand its potash storage
capacity displays good political smarts

voters.

dent blame.

“This new decade is saying, it is
hot to be 2 woman in politics and
cool to care.””

Dianne Hartwick, officially an-
nouncing her decision to seek the
B.C. Social Credit nomination in
West Vancouver-Capilano.

“it was political will — get more
votes, go that way-— no other
thyme nor reason.””

North Vancouver District Ald.
Craig Clark, commenting on
district council’s decision to desig-
nate the Maplewood Mudflats as a
conservation area.

“Our objective is to build and
proceed with the project, we just

Publisher ........... Peter Speck 2 seueceeeemeeeraoean Display Advertising 980-0511
Managing Editor Timothy Renshaw [eg Gee eS Giassilied Advertising 330 See
Associate Editor ..... Noel Wright Distribution 986-1337

1139 Lonsdale Avenue,
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7M 2H4

59,170 (average, Wednesday
Friday & Sunday)

Fax

SCA DIVISION

_" YOu SHOULD SHOW
” MORE RESPECT FOR

created 100 person years of employment
during construction and an additional six
full-time jobs thereafter.

Estimated additional annual tax reve-
nue raised from the expansion would
have been $350,000.

By rejecting Neptune’s rezoning pro-
posal, council,
ing municipal elections, has ruled in
favor of most of the neighborhood’s

But ultimately
Corp., not city hall, has jurisdiction over
the Neptune property. The city’s rejec-
tion then is a win-win situation for
council: They satisfy area voters by
voting against an expansion project some
residents oppose, but, if the project does
go ahead, council can reap the economic
benefits without bearing any of the resi-

Good politics.

Subscriptions

fps &

ae
eae

ELDER

with one eye on the com-

the Vancouver Port

have to find a way of doing that.”

Neptune Terminals spokesman
Frid Lederer, commenting on
North Vancouver City’s decision
to reject for the second time rezon-
ing to allow the company to pro-
ceed with a $22 million potash
storage expansion project.

“You just do it and don’t ask too
many questions.’*

West Vancouver’s Hugo Eppich,
partner in “the high-tech Ebco
Group company, on the key to
success.

“‘We have no alternative but to get
along.”’

Hugo Eppich, on working rela-
tions with his brother Helmut.

986-1337
985-3227

MEMBER

moyen