Burnaby man seeks damages from B.C., Canada over Cowichan Tribes ruling

A Burnaby resident says he is launching a proposed class-action lawsuit to seek damages over B.C. and Canada’s handling of Aboriginal land claims because of the uncertainty created around private land ownership.

J.R. Rampee Grewal said he is concerned that a recent B.C. Supreme Court ruling that granted the Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title to lands in Richmond will have ramifications for private land holders throughout B.C. That ruling is being appealed by B.C., Canada, the City of Richmond, and the Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations.

“Sooner or later, it’s going to affect everybody,” says Grewal, who owns a home in Burnaby and runs a hazardous waste material removal business.

The proposed class-action suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court this month seeks damages from the provincial an