VICTORIA - The British Columbia government hasn't yet filed its grounds for appealing against the landmark Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title case.

But that hasn't stopped the government from trying to impress on the public that the case could be crucial to the fate of private land ownership in the province, with officials staging a technical briefing for journalists, writing an opinion piece and telling reporters in the legislature why they believe the ruling cannot be allowed to stand.

The information campaign came hours ahead of a Tuesday night meeting organized by the City of Richmond for landowners whose properties could be affected by the ruling.

In August, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the tribes have Aboriginal title over about 750 acres on the Fraser River, that Crown and city

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