Long before becoming premier of British Columbia, David Eby was an influential lawyer and activist involved in a number of high-profile movements. Among them was the push to cancel the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.Eby and his crew argued that the games had no business being played in BC as the land had been "stolen" from First Nations..Recently unearthed footage shows Eby, then-executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, addressing fellow protestors in Ontario in front of a sign that reads "No Olympics on Stolen Land.""Why is it that we're holding these games on unceded Native lands?" he asked. "We can't resolve these land claims, but we can spend $6 billion on the Olympics?"Eby also took aim at the security measures put in place by the province that sought to combat opposition to the games. Among them were laws that prohibited "anti-Olympic" signs in windows and gave police the ability to seize them."There are countries where it would be normal where if you spoke out against the agenda of the government you would be visited by the police," he said. "It didn't used to be that way in Canada; it didn't used to be that way in Vancouver, but every day we're seeing that people who are just saying 'why are we spending $6 billion on the Olympics when people are freezing to death on the streets of Vancouver?"Protestors across the country showed their displeasure by, among other things, disrupting the Torch Relay..In another clip prior to the outbreak of protests across Vancouver, Eby explained what he and his fellow demonstrators were expecting.."If a large public demonstration does take place, we'll be prepared," Eby said. "We're preparing for a mass-arrest scenario with lawyers to do legal defence, with observers to document what happens.".When protests did kick off downtown Vancouver, they began peacefully, but eventually turned violent, with a number of attendees destroying property and clashing with cops. In the end, countless people were arrested.Elsewhere, demonstrations remained peaceful.It's worth noting that the chiefs and band councils of the four First Nations on whose traditional territories the Olympics would be held — the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lil'wat — were supportive of the world coming to Vancouver. They even set up the Four Host Nations Society to coordinate efforts to showcase their cultures. Opposition came from small but vocal segments of the communities.Despite their best efforts, the games went on as planned in February 2010. While protestors did smash the windows of the historic Hudson's Bay Company building downtown and vandalize a number of bank branches, police ensured disruption was kept to a minimum..Fast forward 15 years. Now, Vancouver is just months away from welcoming people from all over the globe for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Eby is premier of BC. Instead of speaking out against the games, the activist-turned-politician appears to have embraced the event — though he still maintains the games will be held on stolen land."British Columbia is ready to welcome the world for the biggest event our province has ever hosted," he said in June. "I want to thank the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations for their ongoing contributions toward making this a memorable event for all. It represents our commitment to work together to realize the benefits of some of the Men's World Cup being played on their shared traditional territories in Vancouver."As was the case in 2010, the leaders of the aforementioned Nations have been supportive of the games.A lot has changed in the past decade-and-a-half, with the government implementing a number of measures aimed at increasing partnership with First Nations. Their goals have been reflected in every aspect of society, from public transit to sports.In a memorandum of understanding signed by Eby and Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nation chiefs, for example, the province vowed to "deliver a world-class event that honours indigenous rights, advances reconciliation through collaboration on FIFA World Cup 26, and brings lasting benefits to people throughout British Columbia."That being said, the province is still embroiled in tense legal battles over title claims..BINDA: British Columbians are not sold on hosting pricey World Cup matches.This time around, while there are still some bringing up indigenous concerns, protests have largely centred around the price tag, which has ballooned to over $600 million.
