There are two sides to every story, especially a controversy like the Musqueam Reconciliatory Agreement. If one asks a Musqueam native regarding the settlement, he/she would most probably say that the agreement was just. But if one asks a golfer who has been going to the UBC golf course ever since it was built in 1990 , he/she would most probably refute that by claiming the deal was done behind closed doors and no outside representatives were present.
In my opinion: Contrary to the Musqueam perspective, the lack of 3rd party representatives, the legal issues and the inefficient management of property makes the Musqueam Reconciliatory Agreement a bad, if not unjust, decision.
First, we need to understand the Musqueam Reconciliatory agreement. In 2005, the Appeal Court ruled that the Province failed to adequately consult the Musqueam Band when the province sold the UBC golf course lands to UBC. The court gave the Province 2 years to reach an agreement with the Musqueam. However, when the judge requested the province to make a decision, she meant to talk it out, make necessary monetary compensations. In fact, even the Musqueam did not want the Golf Course lands, at least not yet. They merely want to use that piece of land as a bartering tool when they finally sit down to negotiate a treaty with the Crown.
At this point, one must stop and ask, does the Province actually have the authority to give lands to the Musqueam at all? The Royal Proclamation in 1763 clearly states that only the Crown can sell, buy, or extinguish Native Claims and lands. No other document has refuted that as of yet. But Premier Campbell gave not only the golf course land, but also 3 other parcels of land in the UBC campus and a cash payment of $20.3 million.
As the band reported to the Appeal Court, the band needed the lands because its current reserves are inadequate for it's members' present or future holdings. But years later, with an addition of four parcels of land, all of which are used for developments instead of residential purposes, some Musqueam natives still live in desolation. Leslie Guerin, a 44 year-old status Indian, still lives with his wife under a blue tarp thrown between his motor home and trailer. Many natives like him still live without running water, heat or power. The Musqueam Nation, probably one of the wealthiest bands in Canada, has land holdings of hundreds of millions of dollars. But yet, on the far ends of the Musqueam community many houses are in desperate need of repair.
This is a Research paper I have to write on Monday, and this is my first draft. I am supposed to write 1500 words but I only got to 1/3 since I have to write it in class over 3 seperate periods.
So tell me what you think so that I can have a better idea on how to improve.
Note: I did not add in footnotes cause it's too troublesome, but i know how to do it and ill do it in class.
ANY help would be appreciated thanks.
You're a very good writer and this is interesting reading! As I read though, some things were not clear. You might want to give some background information on who the Musqueam Band is or are, and how the golf course came by the land in the first place.
As the band reported to the Appeal Court, they needed the lands because its current reserves are inadequate for it's members' present or future holdings.
The Musqueam Nation, probably one of the wealthiest bands in Canada, has land holdings worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
