Sturko Pushes Eby to Revisit B.C.’s Interpretation Act
Independent MLA Elenore Sturko is calling on Premier David Eby to reverse a key change made to B.C.’s Interpretation Act—one she says British Columbians never consented to.
Concern Over UNDRIP’s Legal Influence
In her Nov. 13 statement, the Surrey-Cloverdale MLA argued that Section 8.1 of the Interpretation Act, added in 2021 when Eby served as Attorney General, requires judges to interpret provincial laws through the lens of UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples). According to Sturko, this effectively allows UNDRIP to override provincial legislation and threatens private property rights.
She stressed that voters “did not elect the United Nations to govern them” and questioned whether MLAs who supported UNDRIP were aware it would be applied this way.
Cowichan Tribes Decision Amplifies Debate
Sturko’s concerns resurfaced following the recent ruling in Cowichan Tribes v. Canada. While the Interpretation Act wasn’t the only factor considered, Justice Barbara Young referenced Section 8.1 to conclude that Land Title Act protections do not shield property owners from Aboriginal title claims.
Young wrote that interpreting the legislation otherwise would conflict with UNDRIP, reinforcing Sturko’s claim that the Act is being used to “sideline provincial law.”
Call for Immediate Repeal
Sturko says the province never sought “informed consent” from British Columbians to change the legal framework so fundamentally. She is urging Eby and the NDP government to repeal Section 8.1 without delay.
Bill 29 the Interpretation Amendment Act, 2021 remains publicly accessible through B.C. Laws.
Source: https://surreynowleader.com/
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