VICTORIA — A Vancouver Island First Nation whose people were the first to greet European explorers in the region almost 250 years ago is taking British Columbia to court, seeking title to their traditional territories and financial compensation.

Chief Mike Maquinna, a descendent of Chief Maquinna who met British explorer Capt. James Cook in 1776, says the claim in B.C. Supreme Court seeks to return decision-making, resource and ecological stewardship to the Mowachaht/Muchalalaht First Nation.

He says the province has been acting as the sole decision-making authority in the Gold River-Tahsis areas of northern Vancouver Island, especially with regards to the forest resource, without the consent of his nation.

Hereditary Chief Jerry Jack says the claim filed today seeks title to about 66,000 hectares of land from Friendly Cove to Tahsis in the north and Buttle Lake in the east, and an undisclosed amount of financial compensation.

Jack says the land title case does not make any claims against private land owners, home owners or recreational hunting and fishing operators.

Jack says the First Nation decided against pursuing formal treaty talks with the federal and provincial government years ago and has been planning the land title court case “for many decades.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024.

Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press