CFNR Network Jeff Blagden Oct 26, 2021 | 2:44 PM
A legal challenge filed in the BC Supreme Court by the Gitxaala Nation yesterday is asking the government to review 7 mineral claims granted on their territory.
In the challenge, the Gitxaala make three asks of the Court, all of which relate to the granting of mineral claims on their territory without the need for consultation.
One ask is for the Court to overturn several claims granted in the heart of their territory without their consultation between 2018 and 2020.
The second targets the online automatic grant approval system, which prevents consultation from taking place.
They are asking the Court to denounce the system as unconstitutional, and suspend the registry until a solution is reached.
Finally, their third request asks the Court to declare a legal requirement to cooperate with them, and update the Mineral Tenure Act to line it up with UNDRIP.
Currently, any Canadian 18 or over can request a free miner certificate for a nominal fee and can then purchase mineral claim titles online
