Vernon Morning Star – September 12, 2014
Aboriginal rights to water likely supersede those of water licence holders and municipalities need to negotiate what this means before the issue ends up in court.
This was the big take away from the Okanagan Basin Water Board annual general meeting where municipal lawyer and Hakai professor in environmental law and sustainability, Deborah Curran, addressed the implications of the new Water Sustainability Act.
“It is very clear that First Nations have an aboriginal right to water. For example, (they have a right to enough) water so that salmon can return to spawn. That is quite clear, whether it has been said by a court or not,” said Curran.