Lax Kw'Alaams Indian Band et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) et al., 2004 BCSC 420

• Judge: Shabbits, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
• Case Date: March 29, 2004
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: 2004 BCSC 420;[2004] B.C.T.C. 420 (SC)

Lax Kw'Alaams Indian Band v. B.C., [2004] B.C.T.C. 420 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2004] B.C.T.C. TBEd. MY.040

The Lax Kw'Alaams Indian Band, by Chief Councillor Gary Reece on his own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Lax Kw'Alaams Indian Band and the Allied Tsimshian Tribes Association (petitioners) v. The Minister of Forests and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia and West Fraser Mills Ltd. (respondents) and Metlakatla First Nation and The Kitselas First Nation (intervenors)

(L022314; 2004 BCSC 420)

Indexed As: Lax Kw'Alaams Indian Band et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) et al.

British Columbia Supreme Court

Vancouver

Shabbits, J.

March 29, 2004.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Administrative Law - Topic 3345.1

Judicial review - General - Practice - Evidence (incl. new evidence) - See paragraphs 29 to 31.

Forests and Forest Products - Topic 2439

Forest regulation - Licensing - Effect of aboriginal title claim - See paragraphs 37 to 173.

Forests and Forest Products - Topic 2445

Forest regulation - Boards and tribunals (incl. ministerial decisions) - Judicial review or appeals - Scope of - See paragraphs 20 to 28.

Forests and Forest Products - Topic 2463

Forest regulation - Timber harvesting - Cutting permits - Conditions precedent - See paragraphs 37 to 173.

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 3

General - Duty owed to Indians by Crown - See paragraphs 37 to 62.

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 5404

Lands - General - Protection of Indian rights - General - See paragraphs 37 to 62.

Cases Noticed:

Halfway River First Nation v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) et al. (1999), 129 B.C.A.C. 32; 210 W.A.C. 32; 1999 BCCA 470, consd. [para. 18].

Gitxsan House Chiefs et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) et al., [2002] B.C.T.C. 1701; 2002 BCSC 1701, consd. [para. 18].

Canada (Attorney General) v. Public Service Alliance of Canada, [1993] 1 S.C.R. 941; 150 N.R. 161; 101 D.L.R.(4th) 673, refd to. [para. 27].

Brouwer et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources) et al., [2000] B.C.T.C. 1008; 2000 BCSC 1743, refd to. [para. 29].

Westbank First Nation et al. v. Labour Relations Board (B.C.), [1997] B.C.T.C. Uned. F82 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 30].

Lax Kw'alaams Indian Band et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Sustainable Resource Management) et al., [2002] B.C.T.C. 1075; 2002 BCSC 1075, refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Marshall (S.F.) et al. (2003), 218 N.S.R.(2d) 78; 687 A.P.R. 78; 2003 NSCA 105, refd to. [para. 77].

Delgamuukw et al. v. British Columbia et al., [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1010; 220 N.R. 161; 99 B.C.A.C. 161; 162 W.A.C. 161; 153 D.L.R.(4th) 193, refd to. [para. 98].

Rosen v. Pullen, [1981] O.J. No. 979 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 116].

Canada (Minister of Customs and Excise) v. Jay Norris Canada Inc. (1986), 1 F.T.R. 149 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 116].

R. v. Bernard (J.) (2003), 262 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 688 A.P.R. 1; 2003 NBCA 55, refd to. [para. 121].

Heiltsuk Tribal Council et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Sustainable Resource Management) et al., [2003] B.C.T.C. 1422; 2003 BCSC 1422, refd to. [para. 169].

Counsel:

G. McDade, Q.C., and M. Kirchner, for the petitioners;

L. Mrozinski and P. Yearwood, for the respondents, Metlakatla and Kitselas First Nations;

T.M. Rankin, Q.C., for the intervenors;

K. Clark, for the respondent, West Fraser Mills Ltd.

This application was heard at Prince Rupert and Vancouver, British Columbia, on October 6-10, 15, 27 and 28, 2003, before Shabbits, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following decision on March 29, 2004.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.