In a historic victory for the Nuchatlaht First Nation, the Supreme Court of British Columbia has recognized the aboriginal title to more than 4 square miles of land on Nootka Island, including a pristine salmon lake, salmon stream and forest that had been threatened by industrial logging off the west side of Vancouver Island.

The ruling by Justice Elliott Myers recognized Nuchatlaht’s title to the remote coastal strip of land.

With the ruling, the Nuchatlaht Nation of just 160 people has become the second-largest aboriginal titleholder in B.C. And the Nation is just getting started: Nuchatlaht is weighing going back to court on appeal for acknowledgment of a far larger claim.

“This is a victory for Nuchatlaht, but we know that our territory didn’t stop at the bottom of the hill. Our people used everything from the beaches to the mountain tops,” Nuchatlaht Councillor Mellissa Jack said in a prepared statement.

Nuchatlaht’s victory marks the first time a B.C. trial court has recognized a First Nation’s aboriginal title — a type of ownership under Canadian law — of its ancestral territory. The Tsilhqot’in First Nation celebrated the 10th anniversary this month of its historic Indigenous land rights victory, which it had to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa. That court case took 25 years and affirmed Tsilhqot’in’s aboriginal title and control of 733 square miles of their ancestral lands in central B.C., a precedent that stands as a landmark around the world.

The Nuchatlaht First Nation first brought its suit in 2017. In an earlier ruling in May 2023, the judge rejected the Nuchatlaht’s larger claim to more than 70 square miles of aboriginal territory covering the northern part of Nootka Island, stating the Nation could not prove their claim.

But he concluded the Nuchatlaht did demonstrate use and occupancy before colonization sufficient to assert aboriginal title on smaller areas. Evidence that demonstrated Nuchatlaht control and use of those lands included culturally modified trees — trees scarred by the harvesting of bark for clothing and other uses.

The judge left it to the tribe and the province to work out the specifics of the boundaries from his ruling, and left the door open to come back before him if they could not agree.

“This is a win and should be life-changing for the community, and it will open the door wider for other First Nations following Nuchatlaht’s lead,” said Owen Leggatt Stewart, a member of the legal team representing the Nuchatlaht.

The conflict dates back to colonization of Nuu-Chah-Nulth territory, which the 14 tribes in that region did not surrender or cede. The Canadian government created small reserves for these nations in the 19th century, and curtailed hunting and fishing by the Native people in their own territory. Over the years, various Nuu-Chah-Nulth nations have entered into negotiations with the British Columbia and Canadian government over land claims and rights to their traditional territories. And some, like the Nuchatlaht, have fought for their land in court.

“They are small but mighty,” Stewart said of the Nuchatlaht. “It’s a David and Goliath story.”

The decision brought a huge sigh of relief from Archie Little, a Nuchatlaht elder and Tribal Councillor. “To me, it is just finally being recognized as the true owners of the land,” Little said in an interview.

Key now will be bringing Nuchatlaht values to management of its lands, Little said. That means an end to industrial logging — the conflict that got the Nation into court in the first place.

The case started under the leadership of the late Nuchatlaht hereditary chief Walter Michael. Logging was threatening a cherished sockeye salmon stream, Owossitsa Creek, at the north end of Nootka Island, where Western Forest Products was cutting. The tribe decided to sue to not only block the logging, but also assert its right and title to the land.

The tribe dropped its suit against the logging company, which ceased the cutting, but pressed on with its title claim.

The Nuchatlaht’s victory is just part of the Indigenous-led conservation momentum in Nuu-Chah-Nulth territory, where a Salmon Parks initiative also is underway to protect uncut land and allow logged forests to recover, and with them, the salmon runs that forests nourish and protect.

The Indigenous-led Salmon Parks conservation proposal received a commitment for $15.2 million in funding from the federal government to buy out forestry licenses and stop old-growth logging in selected watersheds around Nootka Sound. The parks are planned on Vancouver and Nootka islands within Mowachaht/Muchalaht and Nuchatlaht First Nation territories. The areas targeted for the parks include some of the last old-growth forests in the region.

Clear-cut logging, low river flows, overfishing and a warming climate have put the salmon in Nootka Sound at risk. More than 80% of the old-growth forests have been clear cut in the region, in every watershed.

“The foreigners come and ruin it, in 150 years,” Little said. “All the damage they did to our mountains, our medicines, our soil, our plants, our sacred sites, our camp sites, to the game we lived on. Our connection to the spirit world was damaged because of the way they logged, strictly for financial gain.”

With the reclamation of part of their territory, the Nuchatlaht plan to practice Nuu-Chah-Nulth stewardship values on their land, based on the principle of Hishuk-ish-tsa’walk (everything is connected), Little said.

The Nuchatlaht want to rehabilitate both the land and their people and culture, Little said, by restoring wild salmon populations, and logging sustainably to benefit the entire community — instead of only for profit.

“Today I announce that we will never make another millionaire off our land. Everybody has to benefit.”

Lynda V. Mapes: lmapes@seattletimes.com; Lynda specializes in coverage of the environment, natural history and Native American tribes.

Dedication of the Vancouver British Columbia Temple

Although the sky was pouring rain the morning of the May 2, 2010, dedication, Latter-day Saints agreed with President Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of the Church, that it was a “beautiful day.”

The Prophet expressed that the Vancouver temple holds a special place in his heart because he helped pick the temple’s site with previous Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. “Now we see a lovely temple here,” he said. “It couldn’t have been created for a more noble purpose.”

From 1959 to 1962, President Monson also served as a mission leader in Canada with his wife, Sister Francis Johnson Monson, and spoke of his “underlying love for Canada” at the dedication.

“We carry Canada in our hearts,” he said.

Speaking to the youth in attendance at the dedication, President Monson told the young Latter-day Saints that “this is your temple.”

Accompanying the Prophet at the dedication ceremony were President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency; Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder William R. Walker, executive director of the Temple Department and Sister Ann M. Dibb, President Monson’s daughter and second counselor in the Young Women general presidency.

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We dedicate this temple as an abode for Thee and Thy Son. Let Thy glorious light ever shine upon it. Wilt Thou place Thy ratifying seal of approval upon this dedicatory service and upon all we have done and will do in this, Thy holy house, which we now present to Thee. O Holy Father, accept of our love. Let Thy blessings distill upon us as the dews from heaven. May we walk with faith, never faltering, in the testimonies which we carry in our hearts concerning Thee and Thy precious Son, our Redeemer.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Vancouver British Columbia Temple here.

On May 25, 2006, the First Presidency announced a temple for Vancouver, British Columbia. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Aug. 4, 2007, with Elder Ronald A. Rasband presiding.

Nearly three years later, beginning April 9, 2010, the public was allowed to tour the new temple until April 24, 2010. After a cultural celebration the day prior, President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the Vancouver British Columbia Temple on May 2, 2010.

Architecture and Design of the Vancouver British Columbia Temple

The Vancouver temple stands on 11.6 acres and is a total of 28,165 square feet. The exterior was made with Branco Siena granite from Brazil, and the structure was designed with a single spire and angel Moroni statue. Trees and flowers fill the grounds around the building.

The temple’s interior includes hardwood from the west coast of Africa and features the motif of British Columbia’s provincial flower — the Pacific dogwood — in paints and carpet sculptings.

Interior Photos of the Vancouver British Columbia Temple

A motion will go before the Vancouver School Board Monday evening to restrict the use of personal digital devices like cellphones in schools.

In January, the province announced it was taking steps to restrict cellphones in all B.C. schools. It said it would work with school districts to ensure they have updated policies for the start of the new school year.

The proposed motion, which has been put forward by school board chair Victoria Jung, would direct the superintendent to update the district's codes of conduct.

"The Vancouver School Board has a responsibility to deliver healthy and safe learning environments for students and educators," Jung said in a release.

"[This] motion is about taking a next step towards supporting digital well-being."

It also calls for the superintendent to create a working group tasked with examining and reviewing the new rules and their impact over the next school year.

While the school board motion said digital literacy skills are important, it said they also create challenges.

"The overuse of electronic devices, particularly cellphones, among our younger students has been associated with distractions, setbacks in social development, and hindrances to academic performance," reads the motion.

It sets a deadline for an updated code of conduct with new guidelines on personal digital device use by July 1, 2024.

Similar bans were adopted by Quebec in 2023 and Ontario in 2019.

January's announcement was also grouped with government actions aimed at protecting youth and children from online harm. It included a process for removing images from the internet and pursuing online predators, as well as new legislation to hold social media companies accountable for any harm they may have caused.

Last week, the province said it's putting its proposed online harms legislation on hold after reaching an agreement with some of the largest social media platforms to increase safety online.

Aanakh Bhullar got to show off what he's learned in Bhangra classes on stage with his idol, Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, at B.C. Place on Saturday. The young dancer's father says it was a 'remarkable' moment showing how Dosanjh's music has helped Punjabi kids around the world, including his son, embrace their culture.

A six-year-old Bhangra dancer from Surrey saw his dreams come true — and became part of history — when he danced onstage with Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh in front of a sold-out crowd at B.C. Place on Saturday.

Aanakh Bhullar was sitting on his father's shoulders when Dosanjh pointed and called him up on stage to dance with him for more than 50,000 people during the Vancouver stop of the Dil-Luminati tour.

The star — the first Punjabi performer ever to headline the venue — then hoisted the young dancer up onstage himself and continued to sing his hit song Vibe as Bhullar showed off his moves.

Bhullar, who was dressed-up like Dosanjh for the concert, said it made him "happy" to perform with his idol.

"I like his dancing moves. And I love him. He's the best singer," said Bhullar, who could not pick his favourite song by Dosanjh.

"I like all of them."

The young dancer has been taking Bhangra lessons at Van City Bhangra for less than a year, but says he has already learned a lot of "cool moves."

Dosanjh hugged and kissed the boy on the cheek as the song ended, and sent him off stage with a parting gift Bhullar will have to grow into.

"After he danced he gave me the jacket and it was way too big on me," Bhullar said.

"He gave it to me and it has a golden zipper. And it's a skeleton jacket."

Barinder Bhullar, Aanakh's father, says his son attended Dosanjh's historic sold-out show at Rogers Place in June 2022 and has been manifesting this moment for a long time.

"After his bhangra classes, when he comes home, he pretended he was on stage with Diljit, [he] wanted to dress up like Diljit," Bhullar said on Sunday.

"It was remarkable, we were shaking, crying, we had tears [and] text messages," he said of seeing his son on stage with Dosanjh.

Dosanjh is part of a new generation of Punjabi stars inspiring young children like Aanakh in the Lower Mainland and around the world, according to 5X Fest executive director Harpo Mander.

"I think there needs to be a little bit of an awakening to the global impact that is South Asian music, that by the way, almost entirely has its roots in Vancouver and Surrey," she told CBC's The Early Edition last week.

Bhullar says Dosanjh's impact is undeniable.

"Having someone like Diljit sold out [and] for someone like my son to embrace his culture, his heritage, his language, is something so wonderful and speaks to what Diljit has done globally," Mander said.