The New Brunswick legislature in Fredericton. (Image: Brad Perry)
New Brunswick’s interim Opposition leader accused the Higgs government Thursday of trying to turn New Brunswickers against one another.
It comes a day after Premier Blaine Higgs, flanked by two of his ministers, held a news conference to discuss a revised title claim by the Wolastoqey Nation.
The Wolastoqey chiefs are seeking a declaration of Aboriginal title for 60 per cent of the province’s landmass, and compensation for allowing commercial operations on their traditional territory.
The claim names some of the province’s largest industrial corporations as defendants, including NB Power and J.D. Irving, Ltd.
“Never before has a claim of this nature attempted to take control of land that is privately owned. While this new claim names specific forestry companies and NB Power, it still does not define the impact or protect the rights of all New Brunswickers,” Higgs told reporters on Wednesday.
Higgs added the claim “lacks the clarity that New Brunswickers deserve,” which will impact jobs, land ownership, private investment, and the province’s entire economy.
On Thursday, Roger Melanson said the premier was “irresponsible” for suggesting the Wolastoqey would be going after New Brunswickers’ homes and properties.
“This is a title claim, not a land claim,” said Melanson. “Trying to tell New Brunswickers that First Nations are going after their homes and their properties? Seriously?”
The Wolastoqey chiefs have said that they are not looking to evict New Brunswickers from their homes or farms, and that the claim would not impacts their rights.
Instead, they are targeting corporations “that are registered owners of land we believe was received from the Crown for either free or a very discounted rate – not fair market value.”
The corporations named as defendants operate on about 20 per cent of the more than five-million hectares identified in the claim as traditional Wolastoqey lands.
The chiefs said a ruling in their favour would allow forestry to continue, “as long as corporations had an agreement with the Nation over activities on their land.”
