Supreme Court of Canada rules against native logging rights

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously in two controversial native logging disputes in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The two cases involved native men charged with illegally taking and selling timber taken from Crown land. The men argued the taking and selling of the Crown timber was a treaty right and an aboriginal right.

The SCC ruled the pre-confederation treaties only granted the Mi'kmaq the right to continue to trade in items traditionally traded at the time the treaties were signed. Furthermore, the court ruled there was no evidence to suggest the Mi'kmaq were logging 250 years ago when they signed the pre-confederation treaties in 1760 and 1761.

Here's what the CTF had to say about yesterday's ruling.