Canada's Supreme Court will issue two key rulings today that will affect the trust relationship with First Nations.

In one case, the Haida Nation of British Columbia opposed logging on traditional lands. The B.C. Court of Appeal ruled the government and a private company have fiduciary responsibility to consult with the tribe before taking action.

In the other case, the Tlingit First Nation of British Columbia is fighting British Columbia. The Court of Appeal also ruled the tribe must be consulted.

A major issue in the case is that aboriginal title hasn't been proven on the lands being affected. Unlike most other provinces, B.C. never signed treaties with First Nations, leaving land, water, mineral and other rights up in the area.

Get the Story:
Land claim rulings key test for aboriginal rights (CBC 11/18)
Major test for First Nations' rights (CBC 11/17)

Relevant Links:
Supreme Court of Canada - http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en

Related Stories:
Can. Supreme Court hearing trust relationship case (03/25)
Can. Supreme Court to hear landmark trust lawsuit (03/12)
Can. Supreme Court accepts tribal consultation case (03/21)