Ottawa is facing renewed pressure over property rights after Conservatives introduced a motion in the House of Commons urging the federal government to take immediate steps to protect private land ownership in the wake of a controversial British Columbia court decision.The move follows last August’s B.C. Supreme Court ruling in Cowichan Tribes v. Canada, which Conservatives warn could have wide-ranging implications for homeowners, businesses and investment confidence across the country.The court decision has sparked concern that competing claims to land title could undermine existing private property ownership, prompting Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to previously write to Justice Minister Sean Fraser urging the Liberal government to intervene and defend property rights more aggressively.Conservatives say Ottawa’s current legal approach is insufficient and point to internal federal litigation guidelines that they argue weaken the government’s ability to fully defend private ownership claims. They are calling for those rules to be changed and for the federal government to adopt a stronger position that prioritizes fee simple property rights.In their motion, Conservatives are pressing the government to explicitly place private property rights ahead of competing claims in the Cowichan case, while also revising federal litigation directives they say prevent government lawyers from fully arguing in favour of those rights..The motion also calls for future agreements with First Nations to clearly enshrine protections for private property ownership, and for the federal government to publish a plan within 30 days outlining how it will address concerns arising from both the Cowichan ruling and the Musqueam Rights Recognition Agreement.Conservatives are also seeking the creation of a special parliamentary committee to examine legal, constitutional and policy options for strengthening property rights protections in Canada.The party says the issue goes to the core of public confidence in land ownership and investment stability.When homes and businesses are at stake, Conservatives argue, Canadians expect decisive action rather than legal ambiguity or policy hesitation.The motion now places pressure on the Liberal government to clarify its position, as critics question whether its stated support for property rights aligns with its legal strategy in ongoing court cases.
