The BC Indian Position Paper, Draft Copy - Union of British ...

Indians are tho bsneficial or actual owners of their lands.Tho logaltitle has only boon held by the Crown to prevont thc salo or breaking upof thosc lands.It is not nocossnry tinat leg31 titles be continued to bcheld by tho Crown.:.Je propose that dcecls of ownerahip including taxexeziption privilegas be handsd over to 3idiai1 bands for administration asthey see fit but that the Constitution of Canada ~qarantec and protectthesc lands against alienation as to oxpropriation, sala a'nd taxation 3yany persons other than Indians.Furthcr, we propose that the FederalGover~un~nt accept the responsibility to guarantee the collateral rec-uimdEor business and social devclopinents Oil rcservc lands that otherwisa fornon-Indian people would be accomplished by pledging of their personalproperty as collateral.In respect to rcserves that have littlj or no devcloprnent potential thef olloruing arc suggested :(1) Industlry could bc 'moved in to provido jobs so that Indians inaybetter themselves.(2) Reserves should be developed to provide a means for independenceof the Indian people.(3) In cases whcrc resorvos ars over-populated and the band consents,the band members should bo trained baforo being moved off thereserves to survive in other camunitics.(4) The Indian people are relocated as a last resource only if thepeople involved consent to do so.If taxation by non-Indian is to be h~posod upon Indian land, it must beimposed only wit11 the written consent of the band involved.'l'his provisionrmst be guaranteed by logislation and ~iritten into the Constitution ofCanada to prevent non-Indians from tafiiporing with Indian lands in raspactto taxation.Similar protaction is rerpired against expropriation, purchaseor other moans of alienation.V. SOVB'lI~!tEi