Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will oppose federal ratification of the K’ómoks Treaty, arguing the agreement negotiated under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government could create legal uncertainty, weaken parliamentary sovereignty and fail to adequately protect private property rights.Speaking Friday in Vancouver, Poilievre said treaties should provide certainty and finality while advancing reconciliation, but contended the K’ómoks agreement falls short of those objectives.“Treaties should advance reconciliation by providing long-term certainty and finality,” Poilievre said. “Unfortunately, the K’ómoks agreement negotiated by the Liberal government does nothing of the sort.”A central Conservative concern is the treaty’s reference to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as an “authoritative source” for interpreting the agreement.Poilievre argued that incorporating UNDRIP into the treaty could elevate it from a policy framework to a legally binding guideline that courts may rely on when interpreting the agreement in future disputes.“The BC government has already found itself in a high-profile court case over its own version of UNDRIP,” Poilievre said. “By appealing to it as an ‘authoritative source,’ the Carney Liberals will only create more uncertainty and confusion.”The treaty has already been negotiated with K’ómoks First Nation and approved by the British Columbia legislature. However, federal ratification will require legislation to pass through the House of Commons..Conservatives are also taking issue with provisions that describe the treaty as a “living agreement” and allow portions of it to be renegotiated every 10 years. Poilievre said that approach could undermine the certainty treaties are intended to provide.The Opposition leader further pointed to what he described as insufficient protections for private property rights, particularly in light of recent legal and political developments involving indigenous rights agreements.“The lack of specific protections for fee simple title raises real concerns in light of the Liberals’ record,” Poilievre said. “We simply do not know how the treaty is going to be interpreted in 10, 15 or 20 years, especially given the appeal to UNDRIP and ‘living agreement’ approach.”The Conservatives said they will vote against implementing legislation unless changes are made to the agreement. Poilievre also urged British Columbians to contact their MPs and oppose federal ratification of the treaty in its current form.“Conservatives believe in treaties when they provide viable long-term solutions,” he said. “We will always support agreements that respect indigenous concerns, private property and the supremacy of Canadian laws on Canadian soil.”
