275 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Late last year, the federal government announced $5.4 million in funding for the nation to build a community cultural centre.

 

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada is not planning to try to recover the funds from Beecher Bay First Nation, Carolane Gratton, spokesperson for Crown-Indigenous Relations, said in a email.

 

“Based on our most recent conversations with the Beecher Bay First Nation and reports received, this project is currently in good standing.”

 

 

But where is the $5.4 million?

[Barrister]

I assume that they are asking to terminate the leases on property that has not yet been sold or built upon by the operational company. The development company has leased vacant land that it has been releasing after houses are built on it. 

 

I think the time is long overdue when we should be allowing the First nations to sell land that they own. 

[Victoria Watcher]

They don’t own any land. FN reserves are federal lands.

[Barrister]

Then maybe the Feds need to sell the land and get out of the reserve business or just turn the reserves over to the First Nations and let them decide what to do with them.

[Victoria Watcher]

Then maybe the Feds need to sell the land and get out of the reserve business or just turn the reserves over to the First Nations and let them decide what to do with them.

 

What would happen then if some nation leaders decided to have some type of dictatorship type government?  Many already have quite disfunctional leadership.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 October 2024 - 07:59 AM.

[Barrister]

Let the members be run like a corporation for the benefit of the shareholders. If they screw up too bad just like any other company. They are not children and should not be treated as if they are.

[Victoria Watcher]

Let the members be run like a corporation for the benefit of the shareholders. If they screw up too bad just like any other company. They are not children and should not be treated as if they are.

 

We are not talking about, in most cases, a very highly educated general population on each reserve.   I think if they could run their own governance completely as they see fit, they would not be far from (and many already are) many third-world countries.  Very limited democracy, extreme corruption.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 October 2024 - 09:55 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

[spanky123]

Then maybe the Feds need to sell the land and get out of the reserve business or just turn the reserves over to the First Nations and let them decide what to do with them.

 

The reason why they didn't do this originally was to protect the land and prevent cases where the land got sold to the benefit of only a few people.

 

I think that the 99 year lease models can work, the issue has been (from what I have read and heard from other people) is that in some cases those leases don't get honoured and the tenants have no legal mechanism to try to enforce them. The net result is uncertainty and an unwillingness for investors to participate and banks to finance projects on FN land.

[LJ]

Anyone who buys on Indian land is making a mistake IMO. They don't honour leases, they make the price for a renewed lease so onerous that they are unaffordable or they block access to your property. 

 

Shaughnessy homeowners leases weren't renewed several years ago, and the golf course lease runs out in 2032, which will spell the end of that course. Penticton Golf Course was leasing a few acres from the local band, and the band wanted a huge amount of money to renew the lease, the golf course couldn't afford it, which caused the course to have to be redesigned and shortened. The band just let the land lay fallow, they had no real use for it. Predator Ridge residents were blocked access to their properties for a period of time over some perceived slight. 

[Victoria Watcher]

[Barrister]

Who is going to pay those prices if there is no title to the land?

[Victoria Watcher]

Well, they did previously.  But now there is no ammenities ever coming, and uncertainty all around.  

[Victoria Watcher]

Creditors owed $13.25M in Spirit Bay development

 

 

The largest creditor is Beecher Bay (Sc’ianew) First Nation at $8.556 million, followed by Scala Development Consultants Ltd. at $2.374 million

 

https://www.timescol...lopment-9949576

 

 

 

 

 

The company built many of the brightly coloured waterfront homes on reserve land at Spirit Bay, in a project aimed at generating jobs and increasing the tax base for the band. When the development was announced in 2013, the plan was for 500 to 800 homes.

 

A portion of the nation’s land was made available through Spirit Bay Developments, which then sold sub-leases to the public.

 

Only about 50 homes have been built and none since 2020, according to court documents.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 December 2024 - 05:03 AM.

[spanky123]

^ Fear not, the Government will make them whole.

[Victoria Watcher]

$475,000

 

https://www.realtor....ooke-becher-bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

$350,000

 

https://www.realtor....ooke-becher-bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$450,000

 

https://www.realtor....ooke-becher-bay